Even the land needs to rest.

“Six years thou shall sow thy land, and shall gather in the fruits thereof, but on the seventh year thou shall let it rest that the poor of my people shall eat and what they leave the beast of the field shall eat. In like manner shall thou deal with thy vineyard and thy oliveyard.” (Exodus 23:12)

What the Lord seems to be talking about here is to let the poor have access to the land to harvest the dropped seeds that spring up the following year. I grew up on a farm in Southern Illinois and it was common practice to allow a field go fallow from time to time. It’s hilly in those parts and the top soil has washed down the steep hills to the bottom land.  Generally the hills are clay and allowing the fields to rest puts down a layer of dead weeds in the fall. When plowed in the springtime humus and nutrients are added to the soil. Many farmers in those days also practiced crop rotation. Corn is a heavy feeder pulling nitrogen out of the soil. The following year corn fields are planted with soybeans or clover to recover the nutrients. The Lord, of course, knew these things from the beginning and gave a law to covered it.   

I understand why a field needs to rest, but why do I? I hate going to bed when I’m on a roll and words flow easily. I also hate getting up once I’m warm and comfortable even if it is approaching 9 or 10 A.M. Nevertheless; he has promised us health in the navel and marrow to the bone, (Proverbs 3:8) that we may find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge ( Daniel 1: 16-17) and shall run and not be weary and walk and not faint.

So what does that mean God rested on the seventh day?

“And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made, and he rested on the seventh day, from all his work which he had made.” (Genesis 2:2-3)

On the farm there was always plenty to do. There was no choice about what to do. Animals had to be fed, crops had to be planted and cared for, or there would be no milk to drink, no meat in the smokehouse, no vegetables or fruit to store for the winter. Wood had to be chopped and piled in a dry place or there would no fire for heating or cooking. Nothing was wasted. Anything we didn’t eat was given to the animals.

I went to school and there I learned a new word. Recreation. Recreation was an activity people engaged in for no other purpose than to have fun. A new concept to me. It wasn’t like we worked all the time on the farm. We went swimming at the old swimming hole, visited family and friends. Some went to Church on Sunday. We didn’t but Sunday was still a special day. Animals had to be fed; and sometimes if hay was on the ground and a storm was coming we made hay, but otherwise it was a light work day.

Somehow I never got the hang of Recreation. For my husband and I, holidays and vacation time were times when we deep cleaned, painted, fixed the roof or other needful projects. Seldom did we ever go anywhere and heaven forbid that we would spend money on ourselves for no other reason than to have fun. In fact the few times we actually did that I felt guilty.

In our church we have three hours of services on Sunday and beyond that are meetings of the different departments and visiting the sick and needy etc, and etc. It is a full day of spiritual and emotional activity. There is nothing fun for fun’s sake on Sunday. Some have to work at a job on Sunday and that is accepted but Sunday is not a time for sleeping in or goofing off.  We take a few hours on Monday night for Family Home Evening together with our families, but depending on the age and temperament of the children that is not rest either.

So what does that mean, “God rested on the seventh day?”      

What is the Rest of the Lord?

What does it mean to enter into the rest of the Lord? One certainly does not rest with the Spirit of the Lord upon them. They go to church, they attend meetings, teach classes, and do missionary work and much, much more. That is Work indeed, but it is Peaceful Work – rewarding work – the Lord’s work filled with the Spirit work.

“And this being called by this holy calling and ordained unto the high priesthood of the holy order of God. To teach his commandments unto the children of men, that they also might enter unto his rest.” (Alma 13:6)

A long time ago as a child in that little one room Baptist Church we sang a primary song that repeated the words “the peace that passes understanding.” What a mouth full that was as a child, but that is what ‘entering into his rest’ means. “The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus,” (Philippians 4:7) How grateful I am for Grandmother Stearns who saw to it that I went to VBS each summer and learned those basic gospel principles.  

Counsel not the Lord.

“Wherefore, brethren (and sisters) seek not to counsel the Lord, but to take counsel from his hand. For behold ye yourselves know that he counseleth in wisdom, and in justice, and in great mercy, over all his works.”  (Jacob 4:10)  

When we pray we pray for the few people we know upon the earth right now, but the Lord receives millions of prayers each day from people all over the earth. He knows each by name and knows if this is the job, or marriage partner, or path for each. Sometimes we want something so bad we may seek to counsel the Lord. If we persist he will sometimes let us have the thing we think we need and reap the consequences later. It is best to use his wisdom, justice and mercy in our decisions and not tell him how to bless us. Will I ever learn?

I am so grateful for my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

“And not many days hence the Son of God shall come in his glory; and his glory shall be the glory of the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace, equity, and truth, full of patience, mercy, and long suffering, quick to hear the cries of  his people and to answer their prayers.” (Alma9:26)  

Isn’t this so beautiful?  I am so grateful for my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.