September 7, 2023: And He Rested On the Seventh Day

"And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done." (Genesis 2:2, ESV)

God did something very interesting on the seventh day of the creation story. He rested. For six days, He created. On the seventh day He rested. For six days He labored. God had a dream in His heart and worked by speaking into existence the very dream He carried. On the seventh day He rested. The number seven in Hebrew means completion or perfection. Everything God had done up to this point was now perfect and complete. Day seven shouts praise to God! It was the day to look back and say, "It is good!'
    
Two important things happened on the seventh day. One, God finished His work. He brought the process of creating to completion. Two, He rested from all the work that He had done. He put an end to all that He had been doing.
    
One of the challenges we face, as followers of Christ, is the ability to cease our labors and put an end to all that we have been doing. Rest, by definition, is impossible without stopping work. I must restate that last sentence for emphasis. Rest, by definition, is impossible without stopping our labor/work. God could not rest until He stopped the process of creation. What would it look like for you to stop for one day to rest?