Winter is not my favorite, but I have made it a goal to look at winter with new eyes over the past few years. Winter is a time to rest.
Nature rests. It is a good reminder for us to rest, too. Good sleep improves our health, our disposition, and helps clear our thinking, too. Exhaustion does not look good on anyone.
I love this passage:
"Then Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.” He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat." -Mark 6:31 (NLT)
Could he see the disciples getting "hangry?" He wore human skin and experienced exhaustion, too. He saw the weariness and invited them to a place of rest and restoration.
Winter is a season of rest. The land rests. We need to rest, too. I long for the longer summer days instead of taking advantage of the invitation to rest when the nights are long. The struggle is real. Why is it so hard to say "yes" to rest?
"Then Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath." -Mark 2:27
The invitation to rest is a beautiful thing. Beyond the invitation is the command:
"Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. You have six days each week for your ordinary work." -Exodus 20:8-9
Today, I am grateful for the invitation and the instruction to rest.
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