Sit Down

God… rested on the seventh day
from all His work which He had done. Gen 2.1-2

Why did God need to rest on the seventh day? Isn’t God all-powerful? Surely even the Creation could not tire Him! So many of God’s directives to us indicate that we should be balanced in our lives. God did not really need to rest, but He wanted to teach us. One thing He wanted to teach us is that we should be mindful of the balance between work and rest. Too much of either work or rest is not good. And if there is too much of one in our lives, then there must be too little of the other. Balance is when work and rest are in proportion.

When work and rest are in proportion, then the result is a refreshing. The refreshing in Ex 31.17 is “to breathe strongly, to pant, to take breath when wearied.” If there is only rest, then no refreshing is possible. Work must come first, and the work must be enough to produce weariness. Not exhaustion, just the tired sense of accomplishment. Then rest can be taken, and the refreshing results.

In the verse above, God “rested”, which can also be translated as “sat down”. Sitting down indicates a completed action. God finished something – He completed the work of Creation, and then He stopped because He was done. When we complete a day’s work, we come home and sit down. We rest because the day’s work is complete.

But rest resulting in refreshing is not accomplished by simply coming to the end of the day. The mind must turn to other things. Have you ever had a night when all the troubles of the day run through your mind, and rest cannot be found? The refreshing comes as a result of turning away from the things of the world, and all the details of daily life, and towards God. He is the source of refreshing; through Him we are renewed.

for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth,
and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed. Ex 31.17