Days of Our Lives

One of the interesting aspects of creation is that God took six days to create everything. The Bible doesn't say that creation took six days. It says, God took six days. There is a huge difference. Creation taking six days, implies that God underestimated the scope of work, and finally finished on the sixth day. God could have done everything in an hour, but He chose to take six days.

And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Genesis 2:2

The word 'rested' in Hebrew is "shabath". It literally means "to quit" or "to cease". God didn't quit because He ran out of nails. He didn't get tired, or realize that He had dinner plans. He chose to quit, and He knew exactly when it was going to happen. Most of us never choose when we quit. It is always the result of us running out of money, energy, or time. Most of us never to choose to rest. We work until we have to take a break. Have you ever heard someone say, "I need a vacation?" The problem is that we wait until it's needed.

Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today. - Thomas Jefferson

Why not Mr. Jefferson? What's the hurry? God created birds and fish on Day 5, but "put off" beasts for Day 6. God could have created everything in the first day, but He strategically created the universe in a specific order. God started and stopped for a purpose. He rested for a purpose. Even in creation, God was speaking to us.

Creation tells us that rest is more important than completion. On Day 2, God created our atmosphere. He created our sky and what we call, the ozone. But He didn't create birds until Day 5. You would think that if God had all day to create something, He would have more to show for it than just more empty space. Unlike Us, God doesn't feel the pressure to stay late after work. God didn't feel like His sky was missing something. He didn't think the sky needed birds before He could punch out and call it a day. How often do we keep going because our work just isn't done yet? We do THIS, but it needs THAT. We have a picture in our mind of what it's "supposed" to look like. We spend days, months, and years "tweaking" our life, so that one day we can enjoy it. God didn't call His sky a "work in progress", He called it GOOD.

We will never enjoy our skies today, if we can't wait for our birds tomorrow. So many times, we miss opportunities of rest, because we aren't completely satisfied with our NOW. We can't enjoy our house NOW, because the carpets need to be replaced. We can't enjoy our job NOW, because I'm not in management yet. We can't relax NOW, because we still need to unload the dishwasher. God knew birds were going to be flying in His sky, but He was completely OK with waiting a few days.

The reason that I am in debt NOW, is because I can't wait until tomorrow. The credit card allows me to get my sky AND my birds all in the same day. It allows me to "never pay cash tomorrow what I can charge today". Debt and lusting for everything now, is a major reason most will never enter into financial rest. I know people who won't get a job NOW, because the job they could get today only pays minimum wage. In their mind, it is OK to earn nothing while they "hold out" for something else. If there house was flooded, they would rather let MasterCard, the government, or their parents sustain them on their rooftop until a yacht, and nothing less, is able to rescue them.

Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin. Zechariah 4:10

Creation also tells us that our rest is more important than our needs. On Day 3, God created the plants, but He didn't create the Sun until Day 4. How insensitive is God that He would allow His precious plants to be without sunlight for for a whole day. Obviously He doesn't understand how photosynthesis works. Have you ever left for vacation, and forgot to make arrangements for someone to feed your pets? Have you ever felt like God left for vacation, and forgot about YOU and your circumstances? It is easy to get excited, worried, and stressed out when you feel like you are all alone, and now one knows what your going through. We believe God takes care of us, but it sure seems like He's not in as much of a hurry as we are. I learned very quickly, God is NEVER in a hurry. If I think God is taking to long, then its because I don't really trust Him like I say I do.

No matter how good it is, you will never enjoy a meal, that you call your last. Have you ever had trouble going to sleep because you knew what would be sitting in the rocking chair when you woke up? Our rest is often stolen by the cares of tomorrow. God has the benefit of knowing the end AND the beginning. We don't. We may want look at our life NOW and say darkness, coldness, or hopelessness. But from God's perspective, it's still GOOD. The Sun WILL rise in your life. Even if he hasn't created it yet.

Give your burdens to the Lord , and he will take care of you. Psalms 55:22

And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. Philippians 1:6

God is in control. He wants us to rest. He wants us to trust Him. Our lives look unfinished for a reason. We're unfinished people. But that isn't a reason to get sweaty and nervous. He's on a schedule, and He's is enjoying every minute of your life. Your sky may be unfinished, but it's only Day 2 and there's a good reason. If he gave you the birds NOW, where would they build their nests? He doesn't create dry ground until Day 3.

For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:9