MI NI S T RY
Holy Rest Pastor Nick Quient
Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; our God is merciful. 6
The LORD protects the simple;
when I was brought low, he saved me. 7
Return, O my soul, to your rest,
for the LORD has dealt bountifully with you. (Psalm 116:5-7 NRSV) When I’m not working here at the church, I spend a lot of time taking Nolan for walks around our apartment complex. And during that time, I pray. As I mentioned often throughout the past months, a word that has repeatedly come to mind is “rest.” Often in Scripture, rest is focused on the human person as she is called to pause and reflect. Other times, God is the one who rests. We might immediately think of God resting after creating the world in Genesis where after all was said and done, “he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done” (Gen 2:2). God took some time off, at least in some way. I don’t know if God was tired or a bit beleaguered, but God saw fit to take a few moments to relax after the intended work of creation was complete.
Part of the struggle of the Christian life is summed up in the Exodus narrative: “On the seventh day some of the people went out to gather, and they found none. 8 The LORD said to Moses, “How long will you refuse to keep my commandments and instructions? See! The LORD has given you the sabbath, therefore on the sixth day he gives you food for two days; each of you stay where you are; do not leave your place on the seventh day.” So the people rested on the seventh day” (Exodus 16:27-30; NRSV). While rest is most certainly for our benefit and our refreshment and healing, even God thought it was wise to participate in that same rest. For us, we are called to pause for a stretch and remember the sacredness of time. As we continue to figure out this whole church thing in the midst of these times, we cannot forget God’s call for holy rest. Rest is an extension of God’s mercy because God invites humankind to not forsake our bodies and our minds and grind them to a pulp. Pump the brakes, God says. There is always time to do whatever it is that you need to do. Just remember the holy drops of life that echo in the bucket all around you. Maybe prayer is more than just asking God for things, or imploring God to act. Maybe prayer is also a transformative act that causes us to. Slow. Down. May these coming days and weeks and months be a reflection of our work and our rest. May God bless us as we continue to find the time to be holy just as he is holy.
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