On the seventh day Adam entered God’s rest; this is the picture of perfect place where we can begin our life, that is in God’s presence. We constantly battle to understand the ways of God but God has shown it to us – it begins with resting with God.
The word rested comes from hebrew word “šâḇaṯ”, which means: cease, completion, celebrate. And I would like to pick up the word ‘celebrate.‘ On the seventh day when God rested, it was a time to celebrate. Adam and Eve, along with myriads of angels began the celebration (emphasis mine). Adam began to celebrate God’s work and His accomplishments. In God’s rest, we are called to celebrate Christ Jesus, who has finished His work on Cross and reconciled us back to God through His own blood.
When Adam entered God’s celebration, I believe there were ample of reasons for him to be thankful to God and we can also take inspiration from it. We as God’s people have good reasons to celebrate.
1. CELEBRATE REST: What is better than rest? Adam entered the rest of God. He had a reason to be thankful. He celebrated the special rest that God had given him.
We can celebrate our rest in Christ Jesus our Lord. All of God’s promises are yes and amen in Christ Jesus our Lord. In Christ Jesus, God promises to be with us always and care for us and therefore, we have no reason to be worried; our heart and mind rests.
2. CELEBRATE IDENTITY: Elohim had created Adam in His own image. When Adam looked around, there was no one who could match him, he was so unique. Today identify crisis has plunged the world into utter confusion, even within the Kingdom sadly. But he had a perfect reason to celebrate and praise God. He knew who he was!
If there is anything worth celebrating today, then it our identity in Christ. To those who believed in Jesus, God has given them authority to become the children of God. (John 1:12). We are co-heirs of the Kingdom of God. We are new creation, created to be conformed to the image of Christ Jesus (Rom 8:17, 8:29. We are the holy bunch, unique to God (1Pet 2:9.
3. CELEBRATE POSITION , AUTHORITY & WISDOM: Adam could celebrate God given position and authority. He was placed as a ruler and vested with authority by God. When he named the animals, he was exercising that position and authority and wisdom in naming them uniquely.
If there is any position worth celebrating, then it is God given position and authority. The Church is positioned with Christ Jesus in heavenly realms and vested with authority over all the power of the enemies and nothing by any means can harm the Church. God’s manifold wisdom is perfectly displayed through the Church. Hallelujah!! So, celebrate Jesus.
4. CELEBRATE FAMILY: Adam celebrated God given companion Eve. She was so charming and unique, that Adam began to sing, “bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh.” God had blessed him with a family.
Celebrate family. Family is a blessing from God. It is a place where we find our comfort, strength and motivation in the times of our crisis. We have larger family of faith, that is Church, from whom comes our comfort, motivation and strength to fight the good fight and to complete our race. Church is such a blessing. Celebrate family. Paul always expressed thanks to God for the Churches in his epistles.
5. CELEBRATE DAILY PROVISION: Adam celebrated God’s providence of food. He was thankful to God for the freely given provision. He was to freely eat from any tree except the tree of knowledge of good and evil. He wasn’t earning it but was simply enjoying the favor of God.
We should celebrate the riches of His Grace in freely providing us with both physical and spiritual food to keep us nourished – physically and spiritually.
So, inside the rest, there is a celebration, the time of rest with God is a time of celebration. Celebrating God is a daily business. As we celebrate God, our life will be filled with His joy and the joy of the Lord is the secret of our strength. Celebrate God.
