Rest has more to do with the "mind" than with the “flesh” because the flesh follows the mind.  If a person's mind is not at ease, his body will not be able to "rest".  Sometimes, we are not even sure about our state of our mind.  To be able to "rest" is really not an easy task.

          Perhaps I am getting old, my sleep pattern is changing.  I don't sleep long nor deep, neither can I fall asleep again after waking up in the middle of the night.  My health was confirmed to be fine after being examined by the doctor.  I have not been anxious about anything.  Somehow, I just can't sleep peacefully.

          One night waking up again in the middle of the night, tossing and turning, I couldn't fall asleep.  The words "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy” came to my mind.  I then got up and read the Ten Commandments from the Book of Exodus.  God commanded the Israelites to keep the Sabbath.  Why did God give this command?  Were the Israelites still unwilling or ignorant to take a rest after six days of hard work?  Were they really so stupid?  Apparently, there are so many foolish people in the world, including you and me.  If God doesn't give orders, we really won't rest! 

         There are many teachings about keeping the Sabbath day from the prophetic books, as well as several passages that rebuke the Israelites for violating the Sabbath.  One of the reasons they were taken as captives to Babylon for seventy years was to compensate the land for the “rest” that it deserved.

         Why do people keep toiling, refusing to rest?  Why does God get angry and give orders for people to rest?

         The reason is simple.  When people live for themselves, they will seize every minute to fight for their own interests, reputation, treasures, and achievements.  This mentality has long been ingrained in our mind.  We unconsciously think and live like this.  We need God's command to wake us up.  I think that if I can't sleep peacefully, it's probably because I subconsciously live for myself.  As the heart is restless, the body cannot rest.

         Since we confess that Jesus is Lord, then we are His servants.  It is only right for a servant to live for the master.

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:33)  And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again. (II Corinthians 5:15) 

         首先，「安息」是件「心靈」的事，不是肉體的事；因爲肉體是隨着心意走的。一個人如果他心不「安」，他肉體就不得「息」。而我們心靈的狀況如何，連自己也不能清楚掌握。要真「休息」，真是一門不簡單的學問。  

         可能是因爲年紀大了，我的睡眠規律開始有變；睡得不長、不深，午夜醒來還難以再入睡。自問沒什麼煩憂挂慮；經醫生檢查，身體也沒大礙。不知何故，我就是無法安睡。  

        一晚半夜又醒來，輾轉反側不能成眠。「當守安息日，守爲聖日」的話，在我心中響起。我就起來看出埃及記的十誡。神命令以色列人要守安息日。神爲何要給這道命令？難道以色列人經過六天勞碌的工作後，仍不願意或不知道要休息嗎？世上真有這麼愚昧的人嗎？顯然，世上這麼愚蠢的人很多，包括我和你。神若不下命令，我們真不會休息！   

          先知書中有很多教導人守安息日的話，也有不少責備以色列人干犯安息日的話。他們被擄到巴比倫七十年，其中原因之一就是要抵償土地該得的休息。   

         人們為何要不停的勞苦、不肯休息，要神動肝火、下命令要人休息呢？

         原因很簡單，當人是為自己活的時候，就會把握沒一分鐘，去為自己爭取利益、積蓄財寶、成就、名利等等。這種心態早已經根深蒂固地扎在我們的思維基層，我們不知不覺地就這樣想，也這樣活着。我們需要神的命令來喚醒我們。我想，我之不能安睡，大有可能是我潛意識地為自己活着；心既然不安，肉體也就無法休息了。  

          既然我們承認耶穌是主，自己就是僕了；僕人為主人活纔對。

馬太福音6:33  你們要先求他的國和他的義，這些東西都要加給你們了。 哥林多林書後 5:15  並且他替眾人死，是叫那些活著的人不再為自己活，乃為替他們死而復活的主活。 

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