Genesis 2:2-3 “2 By the seventh day God completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.”

SUNDAY AFTERNOONS

When I married my wife, Chris, and we would visit my family in South Georgia, she hated Sunday afternoons at my parents’ house.  Why?  Because after church and a typical big Sunday lunch, do you know what we did?  We took naps.  Chris didn’t grow up like that, and she hated that everyone was snoozing and she was left by herself in the land of the conscious.  Ha Ha.  But now, after over 30 years of marriage, where do I normally find her on Sunday afternoons?  You got it – taking a nap.

God rested! Did He need rest?  No!  He is God.  He doesn’t need to rest.  He was giving us an example.  We need to stop each week and recharge our batteries.  We need time to refresh our bodies and our souls.  Do we have to take a nap?  Of course not.  But rest somehow.

TEACHING MOMENT

 Nap time is not too hard to teach our kids.  Now when they get a little older they don’t want to take that nap.  But here is where we teach them the importance of rest.  Some kids go until they drop.  That’s not necessarily good.  One part of taking that nap is discipline.  Knowing your limits.  Taking care of yourself.  Hey, the good part is you can “model” this for them by napping yourself.  Now, if you will excuse me I think I am going to…zzzzzzz.

Have you taken the time to rest?  Make that your New Year’s resolution that you will begin to take some time each week on the Lord’s day to rest.  I promise it will be the best resolution you have ever made and kept.

Father, You have told us to rest on Your day.  We need to rest our bodies but also refresh our souls.  Help me to teach my children the importance of resting – resting in You.