Our Daily Mirth

"The fellowship of the table has a festive quality. It is a constantly recurring reminder in the midst of our everyday work of God's resting after His work, of the Sabbath as the meaning and goal of the week and its toil. Our life is not only travail and labor, it is also refreshment and joy in the goodness of God. We labor, but God nourishes and sustains us. And this is reason for celebrating. Man should not eat the bread of sorrows (Ps 127:2); rather "eat they bread with joy" (Eccles. 9:7); "I commanded mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry" (8:15); but, of course, "who can eat, or who can have enjoyment apart from Him?" (2:25). It is said of the seventy elders of Israel who went up to Mount Sinai with Moses and Aaron that "they beheld God, and did eat and drink" (Exod. 24:11). God cannot endure that unfestive, mirthless attitude of ours in which we eat our bread in sorrow, with pretentious, busy haste, or even with shame. Through our daily meals He is calling us to rejoice, to keep holiday in the midst of our working day." -Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together

True Rest

To observe the Lord's Day, to fast, to go on vacation, or to try to rest in any other way without faith in God is rest in vain. The only ultimately fulfilling rest that we can attain is the rest in peace with God by faith. While we may try to make ourselves more healthy by various techniques, we miss the point if that is all we accomplish. Life without peace or rest, life filled with "anxious toil," is not what we should be striving to preserve by nutrition. And in fact, life filled with "anxious toil" will usually not be a healthy life. Trusting in the LORD and fearing Him will be healing to the flesh.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
Be not wise in your own eyes;
fear the LORD, and turn away from evil.
It will be healing to your flesh
and refreshment to your bones.
(Proverbs 3:5-8) 

Unless the LORD builds the house,
       those who build it labor in vain.
Unless the LORD watches over the city,
       the watchman stays awake in vain.
It is in vain that you rise up early
and go late to rest,
eating the bread of anxious toil;
for he gives to his beloved sleep.
(Psalm 127:1-2) 

The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
(Philippians 4:4-7)

When we apply ourselves to healthy practices and times of rest, may we do them in faith in God and fully glorify and enjoy God in those times.