READ: GENESIS 2:2-3; EXODUS 20:8-11; MATTHEW 11:28–12:8

Life’s busy—we all know that. Between school, friends, part-time jobs, 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 He also “blessed the seventh day and made it holy” (verse 3). God even takes it one step further: rest gets its own commandment in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:8-11).

Jesus did not die for us so we could work until we burn out. Jesus died and rose again to save us, and because of His sacrifice, we can live joy-filled lives in the rhythm of God’s grace. As we grow in our relationship with Jesus, He teaches us to live in a pattern of work and rest, acknowledging that, as created humans, we are dependent on our Creator (Psalm 127:1-2).

So how do we practice Sabbath? The simple answer is, we plan ahead. It might sound difficult to think a whole week ahead, but it makes finding time to rest much easier.

Next, find something that is restful to you. That might mean taking a nap or going for a hike, but whatever it is, it should be rooted in restfulness.

Finally, seek God in your rest. Taking a Sabbath is a great way to recenter ourselves on Jesus. In pausing from work and busyness, we remember we can trust Him enough to take a break. This is why Christians typically gather once a week. Together, we can remember that Jesus is the one who gives us rest. • Naomi Zylstra

• What activities do you find restful? How could you plan to practice Sabbath this week?

• Different Christian churches meet together on different days of the week, and our personal days of rest might fall on a different day than the day we go to church (just ask any pastor!). According to Colossians 2:13-17, why are we free in Christ to rest and gather on different days?

• In Matthew 11:28–12:8, Jesus reveals He is Lord of the Sabbath. He doesn’t simply offer us rest, He is rest. In fact, this is the picture of Jesus we see in Revelation 21:4—He is the one wiping away our tears and healing our pain. If you want to dig deeper, read Hebrews 3:11–4:11.

[Jesus said,] “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 (NIV)