Rest

Along with exercise, comes the thought of rest.

“The sleep of a laboring man is sweet” Ecclesiastes 5:12. It is amazing that one who exercises most is the one who rests best.

God is not only interested in our spiritual well-being but also in our physical wellness. It is only when we have good physical, mental and spiritual health that we can serve him wholly. And as we saw earlier, this can only happen when we keep God’s laws inclusive of the health laws. When God tells us - “come unto me all ye that labor and are heaven laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest unto your souls, for my yoke is easy, and my burden is light Matthew 11:28-30 - He really wants to give us true rest. Are you cumbered with a load of care, pain and sorrow? then this call is specifically for you.

In the same way God grants us rest from the burden of sin, so does He provide rest for our physical weariness. When God instructed man to cultivate and dress the garden of Eden (Genesis 2:15), He knew that man will be tired and thus He created Rest; the day for labor and night for rest. And as if that was not enough He set apart a whole day for rest from physical and mental labor, that is the Sabbath, commonly known as Saturday.

KJV Exodus 20

8 Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.

9 Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work:

10 But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:

11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.

And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. Hebrews 4:4. Now If God (the creator) rested from all His work who are we not to rest on the Sabbath day?

Just as all body parts need to be exercised, rest for all body parts is also important.

The stomach, one of the most wearied organs of our body needs rest. The stomach appreciates meals taken at regular times each day and at least in a 5 hours interval. This assists the stomach to find rest after digestion while awaiting the next meal.

Eating in between meals should be avoided, since it delays stomach emptying, leading to partially digested food remaining in the stomach which later on ferments.

The brain and nerves do benefit most from rest. Therefore, sleep as a form of rest, is very beneficial for tired nerves and aching muscles.

During sleep the body functions and mental functions are restored. The best quality of sleep is in the hours before midnight.

Factors to be considered for one to have a refreshing sleep

1. Sleep 2hours before midnight. (2hrs of sleep before midnight are more beneficial than 4hrs of sleep after midnight)

2. Sleep 3hrs after eating. (we sleep best if our stomach is at rest from the work of digestion)

3. Sleep in a quiet, dark, well ventilated room. (hormones that enhance sleep such as, melatonin and serotonin are produced in darkness)

4. A clear conscience - a mind at peace with God. (The mind needs rest from sin. The condition of the mind affects the health to a greater degree than many realize. Many of the diseases from which men suffer are as a result of mental depression… MH 241)

5. Have a regular sleep pattern. Sleep at the same time each night and wake up the same time each morning.

For adult, a sleep of 8hrs each night is good. Children can have 10hours of sleep, this enhances growth. Growth hormone works best when one is asleep.

• Sleep gives the body time to heal and repair itself

• Sleep gives the body time to expel the accumulated wastes and toxins from the day’s activities

• Energy and vigor are restored when we sleep

Effects of not having proper rest

Memory loss, irritability, depression, decreased alertness will be experienced in persons who gets insufficient sleep (rest).

Lack of sleep or rest promotes diseases by diminishing the body’s ability to restore and repair its tissue and organs.

Friends, destroy the idea that you have to be constantly working or grinding in order to be successful. Embrace the concept that, rest, recovery and reflection are essential parts of the progress towards a successful, happy and ultimately healthful life.