So far this week, we’ve looked at rhythms for rest, but what should one actually do with that time?  One author, Tim Keller, has suggested two main categories of rest.

1) Doing nothing at all.  Kick your feet up.

2) Do something different from your usual work.

If you work in a bank, volunteering to help launch our church is a form of rest.  But if you work in a church, then it isn’t rest…but doing the books for your favourite charity could be.

If you’re a fisherman, then fishing isn’t rest.  But if you’re a videographer, it is.

If you’re a landscaper, then cutting the grass at home isn’t rest.  But for many people, it’s therapeutic!

Not sure what that might look like?

It could be contemplative – spend some time praying, reading something spiritually focused, watching a sunrise.

It could be recreational – playing soccer, rock climbing, hitting the beach, learning a new skill, reading something just for fun.

It could be aesthetic – going to an art gallery, climbing the CN tower to look over the city, watching an outdoor movie like we’re hosting this September.

Rest is going to vary depending on your work and your personality.

For me – rest is reading, or outdoors.  Hiking, rock climbing, camping, all use muscles, parts of my brain and energies that writing these challenges and standing here in front of a camera talking to you does not!

Question: List your favourite way to find rest in each of these categories:

  • Doing Nothing:
  • Contemplative:
  • Recreational:
  • Aesthetic:

Then put down when you’ll plan to do that next.

We meet for coffee this Wednesday night at Starbucks in the Chapters Store in Ajax, in Durham Region just East of Toronto.  Maybe we’ll see you there?

Ryan Sim - August 27, 2015

Thursday - Act On It - Finding Rest

Work and Rest

Our efforts to impose rest on ourselves often fail. That’s because the problem is not one of having the right tools to get things done, avoid procrastination, etc. We can use these things, but it really starts with our hearts – and there is a problem in our hearts called sin – the consequence of our rebellion against God. Everything we do – work and rest, and the rhythm of Sabbath rest, takes on a selfish tinge as a result. In the 4th Century a Christian leader named Augustine wrote, “Our hearts are restless until they find their rest in you.” It’s hard work being separated from God. God said it would be – sin meant we would have to toil to overcome thorny ground and survive. But we can find our rest in God. In Jesus, we have access to that rest once again, even though we opted out in sin. Jesus did the ultimate work of closing the separation between us and God. We can once again join him in building his kingdom, in his creative work. We do this using the gifts he’s given us to work to build a better society, life-giving technology, strong families, new infrastructure and so on. Whatever is consistent with his plan and purpose. And we can also rest in him, knowing that it’s his work we help with, and not our work to force by our sheer act of will. We can find deep satisfaction in knowing God is God, and invites us to work with him, rather than against him or instead of him. This says it nicely: So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. (Hebrews 4:9-10 ESV) It’s in knowing God is God, and we are not, that we find rest. Said another way: It’s in knowing God, through Jesus’ work on the cross, that we find rest for our souls. Challenge: Make a list of the excuses and reasons you’ve used to avoid rest. Pray about each one of these and turn them over to God in trust.

From Series: "Work and Rest"

Just in time for summer's blend of work and rest, Redeem the Commute is starting a new series of daily challenges to help busy people restore life to the commuting lifestyle. This seven week series will look at the meaning and purpose of work, rest, and ancient practices that have helped followers of Jesus to keep the two in perspective and balance for centuries.

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