This week, our family gets to break away for some Florida vacation time together that includes rest, relaxation, a day at Disney World, dropping our son off at college, and admittedly more driving than I’d prefer. (Road-tripping with kids… “restful”? We’ll see.)
Even with the chaos of packing, planning, and one very long drive, taking downtime as a family is a great reminder of God’s plan for rest in our lives.
Throughout the Bible, this is referred to as Sabbath.
In the Old Testament, we see this demonstrated through:
- God taking a day of rest after the six days of creation
- God’s people setting aside one day each week to stop working, reflect on His goodness, and rest in His provision
- God establishing this weekly rhythm for His people to follow: work for six days, rest for one
In the New Testament, Jesus gives us even greater clarity on what this looks like:
- Jesus doesn’t just give us rest—Jesus becomes our rest
- Jesus invites us to benefit from the pattern of weekly Sabbath while also enjoying the deeper rest that only comes from knowing Him personally
- Jesus is our new Sabbath
In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus put it this way: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
There’s so much value in practicing Sabbath, but it was always meant to be a picture pointing us directly to Christ Himself (Colossians 2:16-17).
Jesus offers Himself as the true source of rest (not just a day on the calendar).
So whether you’re enjoying a day off with your family this week, an entire week of vacation, or simply carving out intentional time alone with Jesus, make rest a priority. And not just the “collapse on the couch after everyone else is in bed” kind of rest, but real, intentional rest.
This might look like:
- Being rested and unrushed for your family mornings by going to bed at a decent hour (instead of scrolling until midnight), then waking up 30 minutes earlier
- Taking a slow, distraction-free walk outdoors, just listening for God’s voice and soaking in His goodness all around you
- Having a “no schedule/no screens” Saturday morning where everyone just relaxes
- Playing a board game or doing a puzzle together with no agenda
- Prioritizing your day off to slow down and enjoy the people you love by being present and playful instead of productive
- Spending some quality, or even extended, time with Jesus in prayer and His Word.
Rest doesn’t happen by accident, it happens by design. God knew this when He created Sabbath, and He knew it even more when He gave us Jesus, who now invites us to enjoy this gift.
How could you “prioritize rest to be at your best” for the ones you love this week?
