It’s not easy to live with the expectations of others constantly on one’s mind. Whether you realize it or not there are internal and external expectations that are battling for the top spot on our to-do list. There are parental expectations that constantly ring in our ears. The expectations generated by well-meaning teachers and professors throughout the years. Societal expectations, cultural norms, and an intrinsic desire to provide for those we love. With so many expectations already placed upon us, how can we ever hope to live up to the expectations of God when it is known that God’s ways and thoughts are higher than ours? Remarkably when we explore Genesis 1 and 2 we find that when Adam and Eve were created, everything was already provided for them, and if they tried to reach for a purse or wallet to pay God back for all these blessings, not only did they not carry one, but it would not have been accepted for God did not require payment. God was teaching them what it means to be loved, to receive a gift without strings attached, and ultimately the beauty of grace.

God then provided the Sabbath as a means for us to rest from our labors and our relentless pursuit of living up to the expectations of others. This was innovative on so many levels that even before sin, it would provide a refresher for the mind and body. The Sabbath provides not just the physical rest that is needed but the unseen emotional rest that quiets the anxious engine of success driving the thoughts. So amid the expectations that society presents to us the first thing that God does is invite us to see His blessings all around and enter His rest. Jesus provides sweet assurance when in Matthew 11:28 He states, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Could it be that counting our blessings and appreciating how much we are loved by God, is the antidote for much of the stress and anxiety we undertake daily? Maybe instead of rushing out trying to meet all the expectations placed upon us, we need to first come into the presence of One who alone can help us understand what makes us human and invaluable. God’s rest may very well add beauty and dimension to our existence.

So unlike the expectations placed upon us by the world, God’s expectations are completely different. God’s expectations are connected to and met by His daily and abundant provisions, for His expectations are fulfilled by His enabling power. Changes that are needed in our lives are met and provided to us as a gift. The Holy Spirit provides gifts to each believer (1 Corinthians 12:4), and bears fruit in our lives (Galatians 5:22,23). The Holy Spirit is also presented to us as a gift from Heaven, who points us to Jesus, the greatest gift Heaven can afford (John 16:13,14). Like Adam and Eve in the garden, the Sabbath reminds us that it’s not about repaying God for all these wonderful gifts but receiving them with a grateful heart inspired by God’s grace. We can never repay God but we can choose to enter into His rest recognizing the many and varied gifts of the Lord, and celebrating the joy of resting from our expectations during the week on the Sabbath (Genesis 2:1-3).