There is no shortage of ways to fill your time. There’s always extra hours to be put in at work, there are home projects to be done, and there are probably a few teams, committees or other things you could invest in through your church or community. With all that going on, you struggle to find time for your family, not to mention yourself. When you do have a few minutes, what do you do? Check your email or something else on your phone or computer.

But our minds and souls and bodies need rest. God knew it when He set aside a whole day for rest after creation. God didn’t need the break, but he knew we would. He even told the nation of Israel in the ten commandments to honor the Sabbath.

But how do we get rest in our busy culture? Get away from the busyness.  Separating from technology and investing in creation is a great way to refresh. Just this past weekend, my parents came to visit us and went camping nearby. So on a Friday afternoon, we went out to teach my girls to fish. Later, we found ourselves sitting around the campfire, cooking our food, and just talking about life.  More cooking out happened the next day with a visit to the beach a day later.

Even now this week, thinking back to the smell of fresh air mixed with a campfire and the sound of a river lazily floating by, I feel better.  God created so much beauty in the world. It reflects him in many ways. And though he gifts us with the ability to make cool things like computers and cell phones, they pale in comparison to what He made. I think that’s why the rest we get using those things pales in comparison to resting in a chair outdoors, talking, and watching the sky as clouds drift overhead.  In those moments, I believe we’re just a little bit closer to God.