Rest in Winter
There is something beautiful about the garden at rest in the winter. Looking out at the once vigorously productive growing space now covered with a fresh blanket of snow, there is just a sort of peacefulness to it. I enjoy looking at the ice covered branches shimmering in the sunlight and breathing in the crisp clean air. The snow covered ground brings a quietness and stillness to everything. All of God’s glorious creation seems to be at rest for the season.
Rest From the Gardening Season
Inside our home, we are enjoying the warmth and coziness of the woodstove. The pumpkins and winter squash line the pantry shelves, the potatoes are stored away in boxes, and mason jars are packed with garden goodies. Another busy gardening season has finally come to a close. There is a sense of satisfaction you get when you can enjoy the fruits of your labor in the dead of winter.
Although I love the work that comes with the gardening season, I must admit that I fully welcome the rest that comes with winter. It’s a beautiful season with so much to appreciate. It gives us a time of rest from patiently enduring the process of planting, sowing, harvesting, and preserving to focus on some other things that we have less time for during the busy growing season. More time to sew, craft, bake, read, learn a new skill, spend more time with loved ones and enjoy the work of your hands. It is an opportunity to slow down, pause and reflect and find rejuvenation physically, mentally and spiritually for the next season ahead.
Rest Patterned in Creation
The beauty of this restful season has given me some time for reflection on the rest God provides for His people. This cycle of work and then rest can be seen patterned since the beginning of creation.
For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy(set apart). – Exodus 20:11
God rested from his works of creation, not because he was tired and needed it, but because out of his love for us he was setting up a pattern of work and then rest for mankind. While God does not need to rest from His labors, we as human beings absolutely do because we are not God. He provides this for us because He cares for His creation and is mindful of us in all of His plans.
The Weekly Rest
God gives us seasons of rest as well as a weekly rest (Sabbath/Shabbat) as stated in the 4th commandment…
Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. – Exodus 20:8-10
It has been such an amazing blessing for our family to observe the weekly Sabbath. It is a day we look forward to each week to pause from the work we have in front of us and focus on the Lord. A day to break from all the busyness during the week and come together as a family and with other believers in our fellowship to worship our Creator. It is a weekly appointment or meeting that our Great God has set up for us since the beginning of creation to meet with Him. Of course God is always present with us throughout each day, but there is something truly special and rejuvenating about pausing for a whole 24 hours to be in communion with Him.
The Rest Still to Come
The Lord recently has shown me something else about the Sabbath in His Word. As I was reading through the book of Hebrews, I came to realize that not only observing the Sabbath points back to the beginning and recognizing God as creator, but it also points forward to a future event when Jesus returns and sets up His Kingdom on earth, which is the commencement of the Millennial Reign.
So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. – Hebrews 4:9-11
**(Note: “the same sort of disobedience” is referring to when Israel was wandering in the wilderness and was faithless and disobedient to God’s commandments)
According to this, we are not fully in His rest now, but we are looking toward that day when our hope is realized and we enter into God’s rest. The pattern of the 7 day week where we work and labor for 6 days and rest on the 7th points to this reality. Understanding and meditating on the fact that God set apart this future rest gives resting on the Sabbath an even deeper meaning! Let me clarify, that is not to say that we cannot find spiritual rest in Jesus now, on the contrary, we absolutely can!
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” – Matthew 11:28-29
There is nothing that can bring more peace(shalom) to your soul(being) than to know that you are at peace(reconciled) with God because your sins have been forgiven. The way to enter into life is only by faith that Jesus Christ has cleansed you from your unrighteousness, which every single human being needs because we ALL fall short of the glory of God.
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” – John 14:6
Once we have been redeemed by the Blood of the Lamb, we are to walk in faith and obedience to our God while we are wandering here in the wilderness of life, until our hope, which is in Christ, is finally realized and we are resurrected and will live with Him for eternity.
Conclusion
So in this season of rest in winter, let us find time for reflection and rejuvenation for the coming season. Let us be reminded as we look around at the beauty of the season and the stillness and peace that comes with it, that we serve a merciful God who understands and cares for his creation.
Our Creator gives rest and peace for our souls as we go through trials in this life, and gives us hope of a future. He promises that all those who trust in Jesus and stay steadfast in faith until the end, will spend eternity with Him. Let this be a reminder to us that we serve a Good Father who not only gives us rest in the present day, but also promises a rest for His people with Him for eternity. Our God is a promise keeper.
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. – 1 Corinthians 15:58
For my sisters and brothers in Jesus, I hope this was an encouragement to you to deepen your walk with the Father, and remind you that He can be seen everywhere all throughout creation. That in the midst of hard trails this life brings, there is a hope for life eternal with Him and without the presence of the sin and wickedness in our current world.
For those that may be reading this that have not put your faith and trust in Jesus, I pray this was something God can use to speak to your heart today. He loves you and wills for everyone to come to Him for salvation. Thanks for reading and stopping by the homestead. Have a blessed day!
For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, And abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You.
Psalm 86:5
