Burnout

Life’s busywe all know that. Between school, friends, and extracurriculars, by the end of the day, we’re burned out. And then we have to start homework. God knows our lives are busy. That’s why He created Sabbath. God invented all kinds of rhythms in nature. Night and day, the different seasons, and the tides of the ocean all show patterns in creation. The cycle of work and rest is another one of those patterns. In the beginning, God showed us how to schedule rest into our hectic lives. In Genesis 2, it says God not only rested on the seventh day of creation but also blessed the seventh day and made it holy (Genesis 2:3). God even takes it one step further: rest gets its own commandment in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:8-11). Jesus did not save us so we could work until we burn out. Instead, He died and rose again to save us so that we could live joy-filled lives in the rhythm of God’s gracebecause of what *He* did. We are made to live in a rhythm of rest and work, acknowledging that, as created humans, we are dependent on God the Creator and Jesus our Savior. So, how do we practice Sabbath? The simple answer: plan ahead. It sounds difficult to think a whole week ahead, but it makes finding time to sabbath much easier. Next, find something that is restful to you. That might mean taking a nap or going for a hike, but it should be rooted in restfulness. Finally, seek God in your rEsther The Sabbath is a great day to recenter yourself on Jesus, trusting in Him enough to take a break. This is why Christians typically gather together on their Sabbath dayto remember together that Jesus is the One who gives them rEsther Naomi Zylstra What things do you find restful? What would a Sabbath look like for you? Different Christian churches get together on different days of the week,and your Sabbath day might fall on a different day than the day you go to church. Read Colossians 2:13-17. Why are we free in Christ to rest and gather on different days? Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rEsther Matthew 11:28 (NIV)

Read Verses:

Genesis 2:2-3; Exodus 20:8-11