This weekend we taught the children the biblical account of how God rested from Creation. We helped the children explore what it means to praise God through worship, rest, and reflection.

The Bible tells us that at the end of the Creation account, God rested. God’s rest serves as the basis for two central elements of faith. First, rest is a necessary and sacred part of life. God’s day of rest established the practice of the sabbath, a weekly sacred day of rest. (The word sabbath means “to cease.”) The practice of a day of rest helps us recognize and remember that creation does not depend on us; creation depends on God. When we rest in imitation of God, we honor life as a gift.

Second, many scholars say God’s day of rest demonstrates the faith God has in creation. God is an ever-present part of creation, but God chooses not to keep tinkering with it. God has faith creation will work. (Even in the story of the Flood, found later in Genesis, God shows faith in creation by saving Noah’s family and the different species of animals.)

Keeping the sabbath is one of the Ten Commandments. “Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work. But the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God” (Exodus 20:8- 10).

The Jewish sabbath begins at the appearance of the first evening star on Friday night and continues until sunset on Saturday. It is considered a time of joy and thanksgiving. As Christians, we celebrate the sabbath on Sunday. It is a reminder of the resurrection of Jesus on Sunday morning. Like the teachings of our Jewish heritage, we remember the sabbath and teach our children how this day of rest helps us to serve and celebrate God.

This week as you interact with your children, think about what the sabbath means to you. Think about things you do to relax. Thank God for rest. In Mark 6:31, Jesus said to the disciples, “‘Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.’ For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat.” Aren’t our lives just this busy at times? In the midst of your busy schedule, ask God to give you the balance you need between rest and work. Pray for your children. They, too, feel the pressure of rushed and hurried lives. Pray for your home environments and guard your time of rest.

God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. Genesis 1:31