Discipline of Rest 4 – Secure in Gods hands

The aim of this devotional study is to consider what type of rest the souls needs.

Scripture

Genesis 1:26-31, 2:1-3

26  Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27  So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. 28  And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” 29  And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. 30  And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so.  31  And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

2:1  Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 2:2  And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. 2:3  So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.

Observation and reflection

1. When did God make the first people? And what did He do after that?
2. Concerning the day of rest from this Text:
   1. How long did Adam and Eve live before God pronounced a day of rest?
   2. How much work had they done before God pronounced a day of rest?
   3. Do you suppose Adam and Eve needed physical rest?
   4. What type of rest did they experience that day? [take your time on this one]
3. As Adam and Eve walked around on that first day of rest, what could they observe about God and his work?

Personal reflection and Prayer

After creation God appointed man as governor and keeper of the earth, but the first thing man had to do was rest.  Here we have Adam and Eve created in perfection – no sin, no ageing, no sickness, no tiredness (they have not even lived a full day!) and they had to observe a resting day!  What “rest” did they need to observe?  A rest of reflection that takes off the pressure of responsibility: God is in control, so it does not all depend on me.

Psalm 46:10 “be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).

1. What makes God, God? What sets God aside from mankind and everything else? [hint: time, space, origin, ability, knowledge, change, etc]
2. Look outside the window to something beautiful that God had created and still maintains (or to this inserted picture)
   1. What do creation communicate about God’s ability?
   2. What do creation communicate about God’s character?
3. Consider your greatest responsibilities or challenges.
   1. What are you responsible for?
   2. What can you not do?
   3. What can God not do?
   4. What will God not do for you? [hint: Romans 8:32]
4. Praise God for his power and goodness. Then “cast all your cares on the Lord, for he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7)