Day 6: The gift of Rest

Psalm 23:1-4 “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads be beside still waters. He restores my soul.”

What makes you tired? Is it too many people, playing outside all day, helping mom pick up toys or sad things happening in your life? God created rest; a break from work, a time to enjoy what He has given you and a place to be quiet. Rest looks different for everyone. It might look like cuddling up with your blanket and taking a nap after lunch. It might be playing cars in your room by yourself or snuggling with daddy and reading a book in his comfy chair. For most of us rest is quiet.

God created our bodies to need rest. He created us to sleep at night so that our food could digest, so that our brains could save memories of what we did during the day and He gave us rest so that we could recharge to have energy to play, eat, obey, dance and work.

When we are sad or mad God even can give us rest from that. He wants us to run to Him and cry so that He can give us rest from our sadness! He is the only one who can do that! When you learn to trust that God can do all things, that He created all things and He has authority and makes the rules for all things then you are able to trust Him. When you trust God you have rest because you know you are loved. You know that someone cares about you being safe, being listened to and growing. You do not have to close your eyes and stretch your head up high to grow-God will grow your body. You do not have to make people love you-God already does!

We are workers. It is good for us to work. It helps us learn to think, it teaches us to be helpers, to love and serve people. Work can be hard and through hard work we learn lots about ourselves. We also see our need for Jesus when we work hard. We cannot be patient on our own, we are sometimes very tired and have to trust that God will give us energy to finish the work. But we can be hard workers because God has provided a break. Just as when you finish cleaning your room you get to swing outside or after soccer practice there is a juice box waiting for you God has given us the gift of rest. Rest can be us sleeping but it can also be something that is fun. Rest can be a walk in your neighborhood or painting a picture. Rest is something that reminds you how much God loves you. It reminds you that He will provide for you and that He gives you life. Rest allows you to laugh, to play, to trust God and to wake up and work again.

Continue the Conversation:

Snuggle with your kids and read to them

Play the quiet game: Whoever can walk from the kitchen sink to the table the quietest wins, whoever can tell me the color of my eyes the quietest wins, etc.

Lay in bed with your kids at night and scratch their back or sing them a song and show them how resting and being quiet can be enjoyable

Read Along:



https://www.amazon.com/Bear-Stays-Up-Christmas-Books/dp/1416958967/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1480450140&sr=1-1&keywords=bear+stays+up+for+christmas