Rest for the Weary

By Dr. Paul Chappell


"At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight. All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."


Matthew 11:25-30


God shows us that rest is a priority in life.


Aesop, probably the most famous storyteller of all time, was once spending time with a group of children, laughing and telling stories. An Athenian philosopher walked past him and scoffed that he would be wasting time simply resting with the children. Aesop rose to address the Athenian and picked up a nearby bow, loosing its string. He commented, "Tell me, philosopher, what the unstrung bow implies."
The wise man thought but could not give an answer. Aesop explained, "If you keep a bow always bent, it will soon break under the pressure and tension. But if you loosen it every now and then the bow will last longer."
The rigors and demands of life are not something to be taken lightly. Daily we are asked to work a job, care for our family, provide for their needs, love and protect our children, help our spouses, live godly lives, and perform many other tasks. And every night when we pillow our heads, we know that we must do all those things again the next day. If we're not careful, the demands of our lives can get to us and like Aesop's bow we can be strung so tightly that we snap.
We all need rest and recovery from time to time. Taking time away to rest is not a sign of weakness but a sign of proper stewardship of our bodies. We are only human beings and our bodies can only take so much stress and pressure. If we don't allow time for rest for ourselves, we can be sidelined through burnout or physical problems.
God gave us a perfect example of recovery when He rested on the seventh day of creation. He did not need the rest as He is God, but He rested to show us our need for recovery. He also pointed out our need for rest in Matthew 11 when He tells us how we can find such rest, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." God never promises a life of ease for the believer, but promises rest for those who seek Him. While this passage is primarily speaking of soul-rest, it reminds us that rest is a necessary part of life.
When was the last time you took time away from your busy schedule to rest? God puts a priority on resting and regaining strength for life's journey. The complete rest you need will only be found through God. Take some time to read through a godly book, study God's Word, listen to an uplifting CD, or just spend time in prayer. Get away from the ordinary, and take some time to renew your soul.
Too many people think rest is a luxury, but God shows that we all need time to rejuvenate. Make rest a priority, and take some time away to be with God.