Heart Tracks - Take A Breath

"On the seventh day, having finished His task, God rested from all His work. And God blessed the seventh day and called it holy, because it was the day when He rested from His work of creation." Genesis 2:2-3

I recently heard pastor and writer Robert Morris speak on this passage of Scripture, and he said that the Hebrew meaning for God's resting was, "He took a breath." Think on just what that means. We often say, concerning work, a task, even a ministry, "I need a breather." In a more lighthearted view, we often say, or at least think, concerning one who seemingly talks non-stop, "Take a breath." The reason in both is that a great deal is going out. Energy, effort, self. When God spoke, breathed creation into being, He was exhaling the essence of Himself. When He rested He refreshed Himself, breathed in that same essence. If God, who is infinite, saw the need to step back, to take a breath, shouldn't we? Do we?

God lives in the atmosphere of eternity. He is that atmosphere. He calls us to live in it as well. Our problem is that we too often live our lives, our work, our efforts, our ministries, outside of the atmosphere, or, if we do, fail to replenish it when we've "exhaled" it all. Someone said that we need, constantly, a fresh inhale of the exhale of the Holy Spirit. This requires a stoppage. Sometimes for just a moment, but often, for something longer. God marked a day for rest. He called it holy. He called it the Sabbath, and He commanded us to have it as day of rest. I know that in response, many have legalized the meaning of His Sabbath rest, made it a rule, but His intention for it remains, yet so few of us realize it. So few live it out. We simply don't know how to rest, and don't show a great deal of interest in learning to.

Burnout is a major problem in our culture, especially in the culture of the church. Pastors are suffering it at an alarming rate, as are so many who work in the ministries of the church. They constantly give out, but know little or nothing of that breathing in of His Spirit, of just doing nothing but living in His "atmosphere," breathing Him in, so that they are able to breath His Life out. I know this. A large portion of my ministry life was spent in "breathing out" while neglecting to make time to breathe His Life in. I didn't know how to "take a breath." Do you?

Busyness is a plague upon our culture and upon the church. To what degree does the plague affect you? Where in your life, your "schedule," is there a day of Sabbath rest? Where have you made the time to catch your breath? Where and how often are you getting that fresh inhale of the exhale of His Holy Spirit? Do you know and experience the meaning and reality of His Sabbath rest? If you don't, please, lay down the busyness, the tyranny of the urgent, as one writer put it, and find your rest in Him. Lay down those things, those pressing needs that demand you give your all to, and trust Him with them as you breath in the essence of His Life. If you don't, you may go on "doing" but you will lose the wonder of "being." Being in Him, filled with His Life. We find His fullness when we rest in Him. So, take a breath.

Blessings,
Pastor O