April 30, 2024 - Genesis 1:26, 31, 2:1-3

“So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good! And evening passed and morning came, marking the sixth day. So the creation of the heavens and the earth and everything in them was completed. On the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, so he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when he rested from all his work of creation.” Genesis 1:26, 31, 2:1-3 NLT

Lord, what an amazing honor to be created in your image. We were the last thing you created during your 6 days of creating. You created us as the prize of creation. That is such a remarkable thing. Lord, we thank you so much for how you love and cherish us. You created us to walk and fellowship with you. You wanted to see us flourish and thrive in your creation. When we look at what comes right after day 6, it is the day of rest. That was man’s first day. Our day of rest wasn’t made just to recover from 6 days of work, but it was a day to sit with you and get filled up so that we could go through the next 6 days full of you.

Lord, let that fact change the way we do life. Let us always put a strong value on stopping to rest in your presence. We want to learn to take a true Sabbath with you. We don’t want it to just be a day of going to church and maybe getting a nap, but a day where we make space to stop and sit with you. A day in which we allow you to fill us up, so we are ready to face the next week. We don’t want to push through the week trying to make it to our rest, but we want to come at it full, overflowing, and flourishing. Teach us how to value and prioritize quality time with you over our to do list. Teach us how to truly rest in your presence.

In Jesus name, amen.