Question 1

Does God want us to have leisure, to rest?

Accepted Answer

Exodus 20:11“In six days the Lord made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy.”Leviticus 23:3“You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of complete rest, an official day for holy assembly. It is the Lord’s Sabbath day, and it must be observed wherever you live.”Isaiah 58:13“Keep the Sabbath day holy. Don’t pursue your own interests on that day, but enjoy the Sabbath and speak of it with delight as the Lord’s holy day. Honor the Sabbath in everything you do on that day, and don’t follow your own desires or talk idly.”God designed human beings to set aside one day in seven for rest.Matthew 11:28-30Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 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. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”Jesus gives us true spiritual rest when we come to him.Mark 6:31Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.” He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat.Everyone needs time away periodically for rest and refreshment.2 Samuel 6:14David danced before the Lord with all his might, wearing a priestly garment.Nehemiah 8:10-12Nehemiah continued, “Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!” And the Levites, too, quieted the people, telling them, “Hush! Don’t weep! For this is a sacred day.” So the people went away to eat and drink at a festive meal, to share gifts of food, and to celebrate with great joy because they had heard God’s words and understood them.Psalm 149:2-3O Israel, rejoice in your Maker. O people of Jerusalem, exult in your King. Praise his name with dancing, accompanied by tambourine and harp.Matthew 26:29“Mark my words—I will not drink wine again until the day I drink it new with you in my Father’s Kingdom.”Luke 14:12-14Then he [Jesus] turned to his host. “When you put on a luncheon or a banquet,” he said, “don’t invite your friends, brothers, relatives, and rich neighbors. For they will invite you back, and that will be your only reward. Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. Then at the resurrection of the righteous, God will reward you for inviting those who could not repay you.”John 2:1-2The next day there was a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the celebration.Revelation 19:9The angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb.” And he added, “These are true words that come from God.”God values social gatherings and times of celebration. The Old Testament has many feast days and celebrations. Jesus’ first miracle was at a wedding. David danced in celebration of his God. Jesus describes hosting banquets as a form of ministry, when done out of love and generosity for others. The celebration in God’s coming Kingdom is described as a marriage banquet, and Jesus tells his disciples he will drink wine again with them in that Kingdom. God is not opposed to fun, friendship, or celebration. He created them, and one day, we will enjoy them perfectly with him!

Question 2

What kinds of leisure are unnecessary and may be harmful?

Accepted Answer

Psalm 73:12Look at these wicked people—enjoying a life of ease while their riches multiply.2 Thessalonians 3:6We give you this command in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ: Stay away from all believers who live idle lives and don’t follow the tradition they received from us.While times of rest and leisure are necessary, God doesn’t want our lives to be focused on pursuing it.Proverbs 12:11A hard worker has plenty of food, but a person who chases fantasies has no sense.Leisure that overshadows our work becomes a foolish distraction.Ecclesiastes 2:1-3I said to myself, “Come on, let’s try pleasure. Let’s look for the ‘good things’ in life.” But I found that this, too, was meaningless. So I said, “Laughter is silly. What good does it do to seek pleasure?” After much thought, I decided to cheer myself with wine. And while still seeking wisdom, I clutched at foolishness. In this way, I tried to experience the only happiness most people find during their brief life in this world.Isaiah 47:8“Listen to this, you pleasure-loving kingdom, living at ease and feeling secure. You say, ‘I am the only one, and there is no other. I will never be a widow or lose my children.’”Galatians 5:19-24When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God. But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!Those who belong to Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.1 Timothy 5:6The widow who lives only for pleasure is spiritually dead even while she lives.Leisure, rest, and pleasure are good at the right time and used in the right way. Making them the center of our lives is foolish and self-destructive.