The Bible opens with two of the most spectacularly misunderstood stories in Scripture. They are different and complementary but all too often blended. And if you have ever made a smoothie, you will know how difficult it is to un-whiz the whizzed.

Both Genesis 1 and 2 feature the creation of humankind. In the first story humans are made in the image of God: females and males are created co-equal as a reflection of the divine. In the second story (which ironically is the older of the two), we are created from the earth and given life by the breath of God. This gives rise to the idea of humans being earth creatures, and God is the Potter. Subsequent Scripture describes us as ‘earthen vessels'. There is something beautiful about this; the idea that we are formed deliberately and crafted by a master artist. We are not just shaped but filled with a divine treasure. At the same time, it emphasises our underlying fragility. If we are not careful with ourselves and one another, we can crack and chip, perhaps even break. So we have these two concepts: creation in the image of God and in-spired (God-breathed) earthen sculpture. Different but complementary.

Term 3 is a time when we can begin to see cracks. Assessments, performances, and overwhelming expectations can chip away at us, leaving us fragile. Genesis proposes a solution for this too. It is called Sabbath, and it is an expression of divine advice. It reminds us that rest - like creation - is “very good.”

Once every seven days, we need to set our tools down and take in the world around us. God role-models this. Jesus - God on earth - demonstrates this. We consistently ignore this. It’s not that God gives you permission to have a break; it is more that God insists on it. If we are to honour our creation in God’s image, then we must try to act as God does. If we are to preserve our earthen vessel, we must take care of it. Rest and appreciation of the world we live in are fundamental to how we are created.

So set aside your anxiety and guilt. Stow your sense of limitless responsibility. And take a break.

God says it's very good.