Rest in the 21st Century

By Brenda Jank

My journey into rest began in 1991. It’s been a roller coaster. Acting out of sheer obedience to the Sabbath Commandment (once I swallowed hard and admitted I had been neglecting it my entire life) I moved into Sabbath Keeping kicking and screaming. No lie. It was, and continued to be for many years, the worst day of my week. Having derived my value as a human being from what I could efficiently accomplish in any given day, I had no idea how to let down and relax.

During this time, Marva Dawn’s Keeping the Sabbath Wholly beautifully prepared me to see rest as a gift to unwrap, not a fate to endure. She painted a picture that was riveting and grounded in God’s Word. She cast a vision for a day of restoration that far exceeded my “Sabbath” of Sunday worship, eating pot-roast with my family, and Saturday’s left-over to-do list.

Since that time, I have embarked on a journey into biblical rhythms of rest called Restorative Wellness. The Bible speaks about a number of rhythms: daily, weekly, yearly. Allowed free reign in my life, they have transformed me, revived me, and sculpted me inside and out. Driven and passionate, I would not be here today without them. Learning how to rest well has allowed me to continue to run hard. I break a sweat each day, but now I do it with a joy fueled and fashioned by rest.