WISDOM FOR LIVING DEVOTIONAL
OCTOBER 11, 2020
TOPIC: REST, NO MATTER HOW BUSY YOU ARE
BY T. O. BANSO
 “Six days you shall labour, but on the seventh day you shall rest, even during the plowing season and harvest you must rest” (Exodus 34:21 New International Version).
Rest is not in the schedule of some people. They work and work until they break down. Others loaf around, not working. There is a need for balance. The loafer must work more, and not waste time sleeping or playing. The person overworking himself should learn to rest more.
The reason some people don’t rest is that they have so much to do; they are busy. But you can only continue to work if you’re alive and healthy. Whoever doesn’t rest because he is busy, may not be the one to finish that work, if he breaks down.
Exodus 34:21 says, “Six days you shall labour, but on the seventh day you shall rest, even during the plowing season and harvest you must rest” (New International Version). Plowing season and harvest are busy seasons, but that scripture says rest notwithstanding. The Bible in Basic English says a similar thing: “Six days let work be done, but on the seventh day take your rest: at ploughing time and at the grain-cutting you are to have a day for rest.”
Don’t postpone your rest till the end of the plowing season or harvest – till you finish everything. If you truly want to be the one to finish it, learn to rest at the appropriate time.
Your body needs enough rest. Give it rest from time to time. Be wise to rest, in particular, when your body is giving you a sign; don’t overstretch yourself and break down. God wants you to have a proper rest. Psalm 127:2 says, “It is senseless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, fearing you will starve to death; for God wants his beloved to get proper rest” (The Living Bible). Adequate rest is not a sin or crime for the diligent worker.
God created the heaven and the earth in six days and on the seventh day rested, giving us an example to follow. When you don’t rest at the appropriate time, productivity will begin to dwindle. Don’t you see how your body reacts when you deny yourself enough sleep or rest? Do you perform better?
God created the Sabbath both for worship and rest. “Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it” (Exodus 20:9-11 New King James Version).
Similarly,  the LORD says in Exodus 23:12 says, “Six days you shall do your work, and on the seventh day you shall rest, that your ox and your donkey may rest, and the son of your female servant and the stranger may be refreshed” (New King James Version).
Who tells you that whatever you cannot make in six days, you’ll make the seventh day by violating the Sabbath? Keeping the Sabbath is serious. In the Old Testament violating the Sabbath attracted the death penalty (Exodus 31:15, 35:2). In Numbers 15:32-36, a man was stoned to death for this!
10 Reasons you should rest no matter how busy you are
1.To obey God’s command and emulate Him (Exodus 20:9; Genesis 2:2-3).
2. To reflect on God and worship Him (Exodus 20:10; 16:23). To fellowship with God and renew your strength spiritually (Isaiah 40:31).
3. To avoid burnout, which is a condition of being extremely tired or ill, physically or mentally, because one has worked too hard. You need to rest your entire body. Don’t abuse your body.
4. To refresh yourself or recreate yourself (Exodus 23:12 New Living Translation). Renew your strength physically; rejuvenate yourself. Abraham told the angels to rest (Genesis 18:3-4).
5. To reflect on your work – stocktaking. Evaluation.
6. To think through a problem or plan or engage in strategic thinking. You need to take a break from your normal schedule to this. It is not time wasted. It is actually work, though it is a rest.
7. To reflect on your life generally. You need to review your life from time to time.
8. To allow your working tools and workers to rest, too (Exodus 23:12b; 20:10b; Deuteronomy 5:12-15). Anyone who doesn’t rest by choice will rest by force one day. If you don’t allow your tools and workers to rest; they will rest by force one day. Leviticus 26:35 talks about the rest of the land by force.
9. As a reminder of God’s promised rest for those who believe in Him (Hebrews 4:6-11).
10. For the improvement of your health. Some health conditions can be as a result of a lack of rest or could be worsened by a lack of rest.
Rest, no matter how busy you are.
TAKE ACTION!
If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. I urge you to take the following steps: *Admit you are a sinner and you cannot save yourself and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church. There they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.
Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto you today. I know I am a sinner and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and resurrected the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I surrender my life to Jesus now and invite Him into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank you, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.
I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You will need to join a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church in your area where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like the palm tree and grow like the cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The LORD be with you.
PRAYER POINTS: I shall not put my work ahead of God in my life; my work shall not become an idol in my life. In the name of Jesus, I shall not abuse my body; I shall take enough rest, no matter what. Father, I receive wisdom from You to maintain a proper balance between work and other departments of my life.
(For over 300 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).
T. O. Banso is the President, Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
Phone No: +2348155744752, +2348033113523
WhatsApp No: +2349081295947
Email: cedarministryintl@yahoo.com,
cedarministryng@gmail.com
Website: www.cedarministry.org
Â
Â
Â
Â
  
  
  
  
