Local Leaders | Spirituality: Rest teaches us about our true value

For those not familiar with the term, retreat is a form of spiritual practice in which one takes time out for day to day life, to focus on other things, such as prayer, learning and rest.

The Uniting Church makes very clear that as a minister, taking this time out for retreat is not optional.

But, why? After all, in a world where there is always something more to do, who can truly afford time for rest and retreat? Isn't that just laziness at the end of the day?

For people of faith, rest is important spiritual work.

In biblical terms, the command to rest goes back to the stories of God's people in slavery in Egypt. Perhaps you are familiar with the story of Moses and the 10 plagues, coming to free the people of Israel from their captivity and to lead them into a new promised land 'flowing with milk and honey.'

Slaves of course don't have the option to rest, and so in the story God instructs them to rest on the Sabbath, holy days, and every seven years to remember that they are now free.

Without rest, however, it was easy for the people to fall into slavery once again.

Perhaps not slavery that involved chains and whips and masters, but slavery to a seven-day working week; slavery to a culture that demands money is more important than family; entrapment to the idea that our only value is in what we achieve.

So, remember to prioritize rest whenever you can (difficult between multiple jobs I know), because it will remind you of your true value. And for those trapped in the cycle of work, freedom is coming.