How to Work Better — Part 9 of 9: Rest and Enjoy!

This is the last article in the series on improving our personal work habits by studying God’s work habits. Have you ever wondered why God gave us a step-by-step account of His work in Creation? Why did He put in certain details and leave out others? Who cares? Isn’t evolution a fact? I believe Darwinistic evolution is bunk: Polished, pseudo-intellectual, well-packaged, mass-marketed BUNK. I believe the Bible’s account is accurate and factual. The Bible is an archeologically-supported historical narrative, not a textbook. Our textbooks are always being rewritten, but the content of the Bible is unchanging truth. With this underpinning, I believe that not only was the seventh day of rest established for our benefit, but that the entire creation process was recorded so that we could learn to work wiser. The more we learn to work like the Creator of our universe worked, the better we will operate within the world we live in. So, what can we learn today?

Today’s lesson: REST and ENJOY. On the seventh day God completed His work.

Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.

Genesis 2:3 NASB

After six highly-productive, intense days, God stopped working. Why? It’s not because he was tired. We know from Isaiah 40:28 that “the everlasting God, the LORD, the creator of the ends of the earth, does not become weary or tired.” Thus, the Sabbath was not made for God’s benefit. “Sabbath” is the Hebrew word for rest. Jesus said in Mark 2:27 that the Sabbath was “for man’s benefit.” What did God do on the Sabbath? We don’t have specifics, but we know that God used to take walks in the Garden of Eden, likely to enjoy his creation.

I have found life much sweeter when I stop and smell the flowers, especially the ones in my wife’s garden. I feel sorry for those who do not take one day off per week. They miss out on personal refreshment, and perhaps time to reconnect with loved ones. But the Sabbath is more than one day per week. The Sabbath principle is vast; it affects not only the 7th day, but also the 7th year, and the 7 times 7 year—49th year, the year of Jubilee. During the year of Jubilee massive debts were forgiven. What a concept! God’s solutions to our problems are very refreshing.

Don’t be like the guy who said, “I lost my way, so I doubled my speed.” Instead, stop and think. The Sabbath is God’s solution to endemic panic. Usually we panic rather than being still. “Be still and KNOW that I am God,” Psalm 46:10 KJV. Why? God wants His people to take regular periodic rests. Wow! Mandatory vacations! God has hardwired us to work best when we follow His ways. God has established boundaries for work even before worked was cursed because of man’s rebellion. Read more about the Sabbath and a sabbatical at: When is it dangerous to rest and relax?

Today’s frantic 24-7 schedule is NOT God’s way. He worked hard, perhaps even 24-6 but not 24-7. If you are going 24-7 then you are indeed crazy busy. Stop. Think. Relax. Enjoy. Cell phones off. It’s getting harder and harder to do in our fast-paced age, but I am convinced that crazy busy is certainly NOT God’s will for his children. Let’s learn how to work with class and style, like our Creator.

This finishes the series. Join me as I reread all nine articles and, by God’s grace, work better in the future. I look forward to your comments.

Tom Lipp