Today’s Reading: Genesis 2:21 – 3:13, Psalm 16 & 23
On the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, so he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when he rested from all his work of creation. — Genesis 2:2-3
I love Sundays! It is a wonderful day to rest from work and allow God to restore me for His purposes. I find it helpful to pull away from the stress and get re-centered. It is a great opportunity to look back on where God has brought me from and rest in the knowledge that He has been extremely good to me. Reading through the story of creation is a great reminder of the importance of sabbatical moments. What a gift God gives us when He calls us to be intentional with how we begin and end each week.
GOD RESTED
God created us to both need and crave rest. And with the need to rest, comes the need to sleep. Consider the gift of sleep and how God provides for us while we are laying still. In fact, it was while he was sleeping that Joseph was told how to respond to Mary’s pregnancy, and it was while they were dreaming that the Magi were warned not to return to Herod. Peter was awakened from his sleep in order for an angel to lead him out of prison, and an angel of the Lord woke Elijah up in order to comfort and encourage him.
It is in our moments of stillness and rest that God often communicates with us— giving us clarity of thought and restoring us for what lies ahead. There have been many nights when the Spirit enlightened me of my need to apologize to someone or to right a wrong. And it is often in the quiet moments before I fall asleep that the Lord answers a question I have been pondering, giving me the clarity I had been praying for. Rest not only restores me physically, it renews me spiritually.
“The Lord is my shepherd, I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength.” — Psalm 23:1-3a
GOD PROVIDED
It was while Adam was sleeping that God provided a companion for him. God gave Adam and Eve each other, along with a beautiful place to live — a place where God Himself would walk. There were all sorts of trees in the garden of Eden, each beautiful and full of delicious fruit. And the best part of all — God joined them in the garden.
He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. — Psalm 23:3b-4
Adam was assigned to reign over all God had created and to watch over it, but He told him not to eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. At the same time, Satan desired to spoil the blessings God had provided, so he convinced Eve that it was not enough. The serpent convinced Eve that she needed what God had placed out of reach — that she deserved more. Eve had the opportunity to rest in God’s provision and follow His instructions, yet she chose to find beauty in what she could not have rather than contentment in what she did have. Adam and Eve quickly learned that there is no lasting joy in stepping away from God’s plan, and they suffered the consequences of their sin.
GOD CONFRONTED
Then the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” – Genesis 3:9
God was not asking for their physical location; He knew the exact place Adam and Eve were hiding. Perhaps God was asking them where they were spiritually. Now that they had failed to obey, now that they had sinned, Adam and Eve needed to figure out where they were with God. They needed to confess their sin, ask for forgiveness and seek restoration — something that had never been done before.
Then the Lord God asked the woman, “What have you done?” – Genesis 3:13a
GOD PUNISHED
Sin — to know what you ought to do but choose not to do it; the sin of omission
Sin — to choose to do what God has made clear you are not allowed to do; sin of commission
One of the first lessons we can learn from the Bible is that God is a holy God who punishes us when we disobey. He has a beautiful life planned for us, but we miss out on that plan when we willfully choose to follow our own sinful desires. Thankfully we serve a God of grace, who has provided a sacrifice to cover the sins of those who choose to repent and to make Him Lord of their life. He does not want any of His children to be destroyed by sin, but He desires for everyone to come to Him in repentance (2 Peter 3:9).
I will bless the Lord who guides me; even at night my heart instructs me. I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me. No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice. My body rests in safety. For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your holy one to rot in the grave. You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever. — Psalm 16:7-11
Psalms 16 and 23 were both written by King David — a man who knew what it was to succumb to temptation by following the desires of his sinful nature. He also knew what it was to be forgiven of his sins and to be restored into a right relationship with God. David’s life was not perfect after this time of reconciliation with God, and he still had his struggles. There were consequences to his sin, plus he lived in a world that was suffering due to the consequences of the sins of Adam and Eve, just like we do. Yet David saw the many blessings God had bestowed on him, and he praised God for His goodness and unfailing love.
You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever. — Psalm 23:5-6
Father God, we thank you for calling us to walk with you, to daily follow the instructions you have clearly laid out for us in your word. We thank you for your provision and for your daily restoration as we make it a priority to spend time in your presence. As we start a new year, we thank you for the reminder to be intentional to create moments of rest throughout our week. May our focus remain on you as we find beauty in what you have given us today, and in what you have ahead for us tomorrow. Amen.