{This post is part of my 31 Day blog series Work Hard + Rest Well: Learning Obedience in the Rhythms of Work and Rest. Every Saturday, I will focus on an aspect of work or rest that will prepare our hearts for church tomorrow morning.}
We are always surprised by how our designated “day of rest”, our sabbath, can feel like more work than a normal midweek day.
The bustle of getting up and dressed and fed and out the door to church on time can feel like a massive mountain to climb.
And we can wonder if it’s worth the work…
….
I grew up as the oldest of six, and Sunday mornings were, without fail, rough. We had an eclectic mix of morning and night personalities, so someone inevitably overslept, or at least protested their wake up call. I remember many grumbles and shouts in final minutes and last call dash to the car for the thirty minute drive…every Sunday.
….
But good things in life are worth working for, and good things in life will require work. Even rest.
Because Sunday morning is supposed to be a time of worship, a time of peace, a time of resting in Jesus, a time of seeking Him in community. And since those things are sweet and life-giving, we think that the whole process should be easy.
But it isn’t.
Setting aside time for rest and refreshment and worship in Jesus takes work…hard work.
We are never promised that keeping the Sabbath day holy will be easy.
We are never promised that finding time to rest in Jesus will be simple.
Good things in life require work, but they are worth working for. And working to get to a place of rest, will make the rest all the sweeter.
Knowing that we worked hard and lost sleep and maybe even skipped breakfast to meet with Jesus on Sunday morning, should make the time of meeting with Him all the sweeter. It should make our worship more intimate to remember that He is worthy of our work and our sacrifices.
So let’s not be surprised when Sunday mornings are hard and stressful. Instead let’s combat the stress with the joy of remembering that working to set aside time to rest in and meet with Jesus is worth every step of the struggle.
Will you work to rest in Jesus tomorrow?
Be blessed
<3
