“Work six days. The seventh day is a Sabbath, a day of total and complete rest, a sacred assembly. Don’t do any work. Wherever you live, it is a Sabbath to God.” Leviticus 23:3 (MSG)

I like to think that I’m the Energizer bunny. I want to think that I can keep going, and going, and going, and going. The reality is that every one of us runs on rechargeable human batteries. We can go all day, but our bodies, our brains, and our souls need sleep before we face another day.

God is a God of creative labor. God is a God of redemptive work. Today’s chapter also reminds me that God is a God of rest, and we are a creative reflection of God even in our need of it. Resting for our individual health, the health of our household, the health of our families, and the health of our community requires regular periods of rest. Each day requires a certain number of hours of rest and sleep. God also designed that we should have regular day of rest woven into our week. Regular weeks of extended rest were woven into the year. There were even prescribed years of rest woven into the fabric of time. God’s message is clear: we need rest.

Today I’m in self-examination mode. I want to works hard and enjoy the fruit of my labor, but I also want to rest regularly and rest well that I might enjoy Life abundantly.