A few weeks ago, when Lauren and I went into our daughter’s room to get her ready for the day, Clare informed me that she needed to rest a bit more before getting up. Then she asked me to climb in and cuddle her. Since there are no good reasons ever to say “No” when our children desire a bit more cuddle time before getting ready for the day, I happily obliged her. I cherish that time when I could simply hold my daughter as she slowly roused for the day. For many of us, we are experiencing a time in our lives when our bodies, minds, and very souls simply feel exhausted by everything that is happening around us.
God understands that many of us feel this way. Our Lord has worked from the very beginning of time to organize life into a pattern that directs us to take time to rest and allow ourselves to become fully recharged and functional, though in a manner that many of us might miss. The goal of Sabbath-rest has never been that we might enjoy a day off from our lives and simply tune out while watching football on TV (or whatever your mindless choice of television happens to be). Instead, this day of rest that God designed for our lives is one when we should shift our focus away from our own lives and focus instead on worshiping God.
It can be difficult for our hearts and minds to make this shift in perspective. For each and every one of us, there are at least five different reasons why it is hard for us to allow worship to become an act of seeking God’s rest in our lives. The beautiful aspect of this challenge is that the Lord understands and forgives us when we cannot “turn it all off” and simply drop into a worshipful and restful mindset of Sabbath.
We are all called to remember that worship should not occur only on Sunday mornings when we gather either in the Sanctuary or watch the service online. Each of us can center our day on the worship of our Lord as we invite God into our lives to bring us the rest we have been promised. Beginning our day in prayer or in reading the words of Scripture can help us begin this shift in mindset. Worship of our Almighty God should not be merely a weekly event but a daily activity.