Embracing Divine Rest: Cultivating Rhythms of Resilience
Summary
### Summary
Today, we delved into the concept of "rhythms of resilience," focusing on the importance of establishing a weekly rhythm of rest. The idea is not just to have faith for a moment or a season but to cultivate a resilient faith that sustains us through all of life's moments. We began by reflecting on what we want our lives to be remembered for, emphasizing the importance of living a life filled with purpose and intention. This led us to the realization that our days should be maximized, but not at the expense of our well-being.
I shared a personal anecdote about how my relentless pursuit of productivity led to a moment of divine intervention, where the Holy Spirit reminded me of the necessity of rest. This set the stage for our main focus: the weekly rhythm of withdrawal. Just as our electronic devices need to be shut down and reset, so do we. This rhythm of rest is not just a luxury but a divine mandate, as evidenced by God's own example in the creation story. After six days of creating the world, God rested on the seventh day, declaring it holy and distinct from the other days.
We explored how this principle was carried through the Mosaic Law, where the Sabbath was enshrined as a day of rest and remembrance. The Sabbath was not just a day off but a sacred time to remember God's faithfulness and to keep the day holy. However, over time, people began to turn this day of rest into a performance, missing the point entirely. Jesus addressed this by reminding us that the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath, emphasizing that the day is a gift meant for our restoration and delight in God.
In our performance and achievement-driven culture, taking a day of rest can feel countercultural and even meet with resistance. However, it's crucial to understand that rest is not a reward for our hard work but the foundation from which we should operate. By starting with rest, we align ourselves with God's design, allowing us to be more effective and creative in our work and relationships.
### Key Takeaways
1. Rest as a Divine Mandate: God Himself rested on the seventh day after creating the world, setting an example for us. If God, who is all-powerful, took time to rest, we too must recognize the importance of rest in our lives. Rest is not optional; it is a holy and sacred time that God has set apart for us. [13:08]
2. Rest Before Work: Adam and Eve's first full day was a day of rest, not work. This teaches us that rest is not a reward for our labor but the starting point. We should begin our endeavors from a place of rest, allowing it to fill us with the energy and creativity needed for our tasks. [20:48]
3. Cultural Resistance to Rest: In a performance and achievement-driven culture, taking a day of rest can be met with resistance. However, it's essential to prioritize rest as a sacred time, even if it means going against societal norms. This resistance can come from both external pressures and internal habits. [40:15]
4. Practical Steps to Rest: Start small by setting aside an hour or an afternoon for rest and gradually build up to a full day. Make a plan for what you will do during this time, focusing on activities that bring you joy and help you connect with God. This intentionality helps in making rest a regular part of your life. [44:03]
5. Rest as a Source of Renewal: True rest leads to renewal and creativity. When we allow ourselves to disengage from the hustle and focus on delighting in God, we come out of it with fresh ideas, renewed energy, and a deeper compassion for those around us. Rest is not just about ceasing work but about being filled anew. [51:07]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[01:09] - Reflecting on Life's Purpose
[02:14] - Maximizing Our Days
[04:48] - Divine Intervention on Rest
[06:49] - The Weekly Rhythm of Withdrawal
[09:06] - The Most Productive Week in History
[13:08] - God's Example of Rest
[14:42] - The Holiness of Rest
[16:06] - Rest as Sacred Time
[17:53] - Rest Before Work
[20:48] - The Foundation of Rest
[22:22] - Biblical Principles of Rest
[24:03] - The Mosaic Law and Rest
[27:39] - The Ten Commandments and Rest
[29:26] - The Importance of Keeping the Sabbath
[30:59] - Loopholes and Legalism
[32:28] - Performance Culture and Rest
[34:20] - Jesus and the Sabbath
[37:26] - The Purpose of the Sabbath
[38:17] - The God of the Day
[39:31] - Cultural Collision with Rest
[40:15] - Resistance to Rest
[41:30] - Achievement-Driven Culture
[42:25] - Benefits of Achievement
[44:03] - Practical Steps to Rest
[47:07] - Planning Your Rest
[49:06] - Enjoying the Sabbath
[51:07] - Renewal Through Rest
[52:06] - Commitment to Rest
[53:12] - Prayer for Rest
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
1. Genesis 2:1-3 (ESV): "Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation."
2. Deuteronomy 5:12-15 (ESV): "Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter or your male servant or your female servant, or your ox or your donkey or any of your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates, that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you. You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day."
3. Mark 2:27-28 (ESV): "And he said to them, 'The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.'"
### Observation Questions
1. What did God do on the seventh day after creating the world, according to Genesis 2:1-3?
2. In Deuteronomy 5:12-15, what specific instructions are given about observing the Sabbath day?
3. How does Jesus redefine the purpose of the Sabbath in Mark 2:27-28?
4. According to the sermon, what personal anecdote did the pastor share about the importance of rest? [04:48]
### Interpretation Questions
1. Why do you think God rested on the seventh day, even though He is all-powerful and does not need rest? [13:08]
2. How does the command to observe the Sabbath in Deuteronomy 5:12-15 reflect God's care for all members of the community, including servants and animals?
3. What does Jesus mean when He says, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath"? How does this change our understanding of rest? [37:26]
4. How does the pastor's story about his phone not charging fully relate to the concept of needing rest? [04:48]
### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your current weekly schedule. Are you allowing yourself enough time for rest? If not, what changes can you make to incorporate a regular rhythm of rest? [06:49]
2. The sermon mentioned that rest is not a reward for hard work but the foundation from which we should operate. How can you start your week from a place of rest rather than ending it with rest? [20:48]
3. In what ways have you experienced cultural resistance to taking a day of rest? How can you overcome these external and internal pressures? [40:15]
4. The pastor suggested starting small by setting aside an hour or an afternoon for rest. What specific activities bring you joy and help you connect with God that you can incorporate into this time? [44:03]
5. How can you make your time of rest a source of renewal and creativity, as suggested in the sermon? What practical steps can you take to ensure this time is restorative? [51:07]
6. Think about a recent time when you felt overwhelmed or burnt out. How might a regular rhythm of rest have helped you in that situation? [04:48]
7. Jesus emphasized that the Sabbath is a gift meant for our restoration and delight in God. How can you shift your mindset to view rest as a gift rather than an obligation? [38:17]
Devotional
Day 1: Rest as a Divine Mandate
God Himself rested on the seventh day after creating the world, setting an example for us. If God, who is all-powerful, took time to rest, we too must recognize the importance of rest in our lives. Rest is not optional; it is a holy and sacred time that God has set apart for us. [13:08]
"Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation." (Genesis 2:1-3, ESV)
Reflection: How can you intentionally set apart time this week to rest and honor God’s example of rest in your own life?
Day 2: Rest Before Work
Adam and Eve's first full day was a day of rest, not work. This teaches us that rest is not a reward for our labor but the starting point. We should begin our endeavors from a place of rest, allowing it to fill us with the energy and creativity needed for our tasks. [20:48]
"And the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, 'You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.'" (Genesis 2:15-17, ESV)
Reflection: What would it look like for you to start your week or your day from a place of rest rather than jumping straight into work? How can you practically implement this?
Day 3: Cultural Resistance to Rest
In a performance and achievement-driven culture, taking a day of rest can be met with resistance. However, it's essential to prioritize rest as a sacred time, even if it means going against societal norms. This resistance can come from both external pressures and internal habits. [40:15]
"Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day shall be put to death. Therefore the people of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, observing the Sabbath throughout their generations, as a covenant forever." (Exodus 31:15-16, ESV)
Reflection: Identify one external pressure and one internal habit that resist your practice of rest. How can you address these to honor the Sabbath?
Day 4: Practical Steps to Rest
Start small by setting aside an hour or an afternoon for rest and gradually build up to a full day. Make a plan for what you will do during this time, focusing on activities that bring you joy and help you connect with God. This intentionality helps in making rest a regular part of your life. [44:03]
"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30, ESV)
Reflection: What specific activities bring you joy and help you connect with God? How can you incorporate these into a dedicated time of rest this week?
Day 5: Rest as a Source of Renewal
True rest leads to renewal and creativity. When we allow ourselves to disengage from the hustle and focus on delighting in God, we come out of it with fresh ideas, renewed energy, and a deeper compassion for those around us. Rest is not just about ceasing work but about being filled anew. [51:07]
"And he said to them, 'Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.' For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves." (Mark 6:31-32, ESV)
Reflection: Reflect on a time when you felt truly renewed after a period of rest. How can you create space for this kind of renewal in your regular routine?
Quotes
### Quotes for outreach
1. "Are you spending your minutes and your moments and your hours and your days on the throne of God? What are the things that you want people to say about you someday? And amongst the many things that were shared, I told them, oh, I have thought about this question before, and I know that one of the things that I want said at my eulogy is that I want it to be said that she lived full." [01:09] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "If God rested you can rest if God said that's enough and now I will rest you can find it within yourself to say that's enough and now I will rest the other thing is that it says that God took this day and he blessed it and he made it holy he said he said this day is holy holy can be understood to mean this day is different this day is distinct this day remember that God is a God of distinction." [14:42] (45 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Rest is not my reward for the hustle that I did this week. It tells me that rest is not the bonus that I get at the end of my week if I've grinded hard enough. It tells me that rest is not the thing that I get to do if I've done enough this week, but that apparently rest is the place that I start from, that rest is the place that fills me. Rest is the place where I connect with God." [20:48] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "The day was not created for you to observe it. The day was created. As a gift to you. The gift was given to the people of God. As a gift to receive. As a place to find restoration. As a place to heal with God. As a place for your soul to find delight in him. The day is not the focus. The God of the day is the focus." [38:17] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "When you say. I've decided that for part of my week. I am offering it to God. And I don't have to achieve anything today. And I don't have to tackle any jobs today. And I'm not crushing. Any goals today. And I'm not showing up for that thing today. And sometimes I say no. Even though it would benefit my career. Because what's more important. To me. Is that I have a holy day. Before him." [42:25] (27 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
### Quotes for members
1. "Today our rhythm of resilience that leaves us very helpless. that we are going to focus our time together on is our weekly rhythm of withdrawal. That on a weekly basis, there should be a rhythm in your life that withdraws from all of the chaos of life, all of the productivity of life, all of the roles and responsibilities of life and resets your self." [06:49] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "God is a God of order, that he moved through, day at a time, stage at a time, moment at a time layering on layering the things that would come to be and that God is a God of distinction that when he set all of created order into place some of the first things that God did was begin to separate and distinguish that light is light and dark is dark and dry is dry and wet is wet and day is day and night is night." [11:33] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "The first day that Adam and Eve walk into is not a day of productivity. The first day that Adam and Eve walk into is not a day of creating more. The first day that Adam and Eve walk into is not a day of getting on their grind and going after the great assignment that God has given them. The first day that Adam and Eve walk into is a day of rest. God works into rest and then creates a space where he says, but before you work, you rest." [19:53] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "The other thing that I don't want us to miss is that God, who has always been and will always be, was there at the beginning, and he created time into the system and moved through one, two, three, four, five, six days of productivity and of creation. And it says, when God's work was finished, then he rested. But the last thing he did on the sixth day is that God reached down and he formed the man and the woman, and he placed them inside of the garden, and he placed them inside of the garden, and he gave them a job to do." [17:53] (46 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "The day that was intended to be the day that we withdraw from performing for one another has turned into a day where we perform how well we can rest. I'm sure none of you know anything about a culture where people would boast about their level of self-care. I'm sure none of you know anything about a culture where instead of just enjoying your day off you need to take a well-designed photo of you relaxing in your couch with your blanket laid just right and your coffee cup established just right and your journal laid out just right so that everyone can see how good you are at enjoying rest." [32:28] (55 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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