On the most famous street in York, The Shambles, there is a Bread Shop. The bloke who owns it opens at 9am, sells his bread and closes when he runs out, which is usually 11am. He makes enough, to earn enough then he goes home.
Aghast, I asked my baker friend why he doesn't make more, so that he would earn more. As if he would never have thought of it before I explained to him that his shop was on the busiest street in York and he could earn a fortune if he worked longer hours. He looked surprised and replied, "I don't need more. I work enough to make enough to earn enough. I have enough."
Inspired by this counter-cultural dough-boy, I looked again at how God sees the balance between work and rest. Just after creating everything... "God had finished his work. On the seventh day he rested from all his work. God blessed the seventh day. He made it a Holy Day. Because on that day he rested from his work, all the creating God had done." (Genesis 2:2-4)
Later in the bible, God tells his people that he has designed them to need a break every seven days. He stresses how important it is for them to rest once a week; that they won't become more fulfilled or more successful if they work all the time. And while it is true that Jesus tells some religious types to chill out and not get all legalistic about it, he too knew the importance of resting in his Father's presence once a week.
In today's student culture there is a lot of pressure to work hard and with the hike in fees this will only increase. However, it is still true that no matter how much pressure we are put under, all of us are still designed to need a break once a week. It is good for us. In fact, we perform better over the six days of work if we do rest for one.
Over the last few years, I have noticed that there are often far less students in our church during exam time. Why is this? Perhaps God didn't mean for them to rest near a deadline. Perhaps God was rushing around trying to create the last bit of the universe, pulling an all-nighter on Red Bull! In fact, I believe the opposite to be true. I believe that when we are in a whirlwind of uncertainty and pressure, it is all the more crucial to rest in God's safe hands. To focus on him and recognise that he is the one in control, not us. Clearly, this also makes it very important to be diligent in how we work on the other six days to ensure we haven't slacked off and left everything to the last minute!
So will you join me in recommitting to the value of a rest day. Let's listen to the maker's advice that we are wired to tune out of our own frantic worlds and tune into his life giving words. Let's dare to believe that God meant what he said and that he meant it even in exam time. That his advice still applies when you have an essay deadline looming. Let the students of the UK be those who work, rest and play. And then have a Mars Bar.
