Intentional Living Part 3

The areas that matter the most are…

• Relationship with God

• His purpose for our lives

• Marriage

• Children

• Emotional, mental & physical health

• Friendships

• Stewarding of resources God

• Intentional Living means we refuse to allow the outcome of our lives to be left up to chance. Instead, we make the choice to embrace an attitude that is committed to partnering with God’s plans for our life.

“Hurry is not just a disordered schedule, it is a disordered heart.”  —John Ortberg

• But on a positive note, God has already provided an “antidote” for our busy and hurried lifestyles. It is called rest.

Mark 6:31 [TPT], There was such a swirl of activity around Jesus, with so many people coming and going, that they were unable to even eat a meal.  So Jesus said to his disciples, “Come, let’s take a break and find a secluded place where you can rest a while.” 

“Being hurried is an inner condition, a condition of the soul.  It means to be so preoccupied with myself and my life that I am unable to be fully present with God, with myself, and with other people…I cannot rest in God with a hurried soul.”  —John Ortberg

Genesis 1:1-3 [NKJV], In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep.  And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 3 Then God said…

Genesis 2:1-3 [NKJV], Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. 2 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. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made. 

• The Hebrew word for “rested” here, is the word Sabat and it simply means; “to cease, stop, or rest from labor.”

If God took the time to rest, then why don’t we?

• Instead of us working to rest, we actually work from rest.

Doesn’t the idea of placing rest as a priority sound a whole lot healthier than dragging ourselves through the door year after year? 

Exodus 20:1-3 [NLT], Then God gave the people all these instructions: 2 “I am the Lord your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery. 3 You must not…  

God said, “You must…”

• Not have any other gods before Me.

• Not make any idols.

• Not take the Lord’s name in vain.

• Remember the Sabbath, and keep it holy.

• Honor your father and mother.

• Not murder.

• Not commit adultery.

• Not steal.

• Not lie.

• Not covet.

• If God built intentional times of rest into His people’s weekly, monthly, and yearly calendar, then maybe we should be open to having a little more intentional time to rest in our lives.

• In our culture, we tend to try to find our identity in what we do and by the things we achieve.

What are you finding your identity in?

Matthew 11:28-30 [NLT], Then Jesus said, “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you.  Let Me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

• Jesus never promised to take the “difficult assignments” or “hard work” away from us. However, He did promise that if we would come to Him, He would give us the rest we need in order to continue and complete the journey.

Mark 2:23 [NLT], Then Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of the people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath.”

Hebrews 4:9-11[NLT], So there is a special [Sabbath] rest still waiting for the people of God. 10 For all who have entered into God’s rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world. 11 So let us do our best [make every effort] to enter that rest.  But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall.

“The key is not to prioritize your schedule but to schedule your priorities.”  

—Steven Covey

How can you move toward Sabbath Rest as both a weekly practice and a way of life?

What arguments are you battling internally that are hindering you from finding a rhythm of rest?