In college, I was part of a group that visited national parks across the country. As you do when visiting national parks, we went on many hikes. One of my favorites was Angels Landing in Zion National Park, Utah.

The hike is beautiful, but it has its challenges. There are steep switchbacks, narrow paths, and sections with sheer cliffs on either side. When you finally reach the summit, the payoff is incredible. I’ll never forget looking out over the canyon, admiring the vibrant spring greenery set against the towering red-orange canyon walls. It’s the kind of view that makes you stop in your tracks.

But inevitably, someone in our group was ready to turn around and head back down almost as soon as we reached the top. We’d spent all that time and energy climbing, only to rush past the very thing we’d worked so hard to see!

I wonder how often we approach life the same way. We live in a culture that celebrates productivity, efficiency, and accomplishment. We’re constantly encouraged to keep moving, achieve more, and pursue whatever comes next. Somewhere along the way, our productivity can become so intertwined with our identity that even when we have the chance to stop, we struggle to do so.

But in Exodus 20, God gives His people a different rhythm: “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy” (Exodus 20:8).

God doesn’t merely suggest we take a break when we’re exhausted. He commands His people to set aside time for rest. In verse 11, He points to His own example. After six days of creation, God rested on the seventh day, not because He was exhausted or needed to recharge, but because His work of creation was complete. He had already declared His creation very good, and He blessed the seventh day and made it holy.

Sabbath rest isn’t simply about recovering from our work. It’s about making room to recognize and delight in God’s work. It’s an opportunity to slow down, acknowledge His goodness, celebrate what He’s done in and through our lives, and simply enjoy His presence.

Sometimes we’re so focused on reaching the next destination that we forget to stop and take in the view. When we never take time to rest, we risk missing the One who made the view possible in the first place.

Reflection: Where in your life have you been so focused on what’s next that you’ve overlooked what God has already done? Take a few moments today to pause, reflect, and thank Him for His goodness.