SCRIPTURE:  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

THOUGHT: I sat for a few minutes with hazy gaze this morning, casting around for what to write. I am so tired. We’ve been up early and stayed up late this week. I played piano at church yesterday for several hours and prayed for several hours too. God allowed me to see some contents of my heart that needed examining. It has to do with people whom I despise and Jesus’ command that we pray for our enemies (Matthew 5:44). I’ll write about that more next week, but that’s where God met me yesterday. Then we had our small group for dinner. In the midst of all that I was dealing with tension in a project close to my heart that has required much patience, planning the logistics of an upcoming trip, a medical appointment, planting flowers, a facebook hacker, and all my normal work. So, I am tired. Physically. Mentally. Emotionally. Perhaps even spiritually.

My thought today is that the weekend is almost here, and with it a reminder that even God took a good rest after all his good work. I hope you’ll build in time for rest over the next few days because, just like praying for our enemies is commanded, so is rest. God the good father knew both would be necessary for human flourishing, so he didn’t really make them optional. And don’t you love the fact that he doesn’t ask us to do something he isn’t willing to do himself? God isn’t some power-hungry monarch, he is, in every way, a leader to his people.

PRAYER: Oh God, I want to fall into your rhythm of work and rest, and all your other ways that lead to flourishing. Thank you for giving us good work and blessing it, would you give us good rest and bless it too?