Enter REST
There remains therefore a rest for the people of God.
(Hebrews 4:19, NKJV)
Any time there is a holiday, we speak of taking time to rest. The holiday or days off work are exciting breaks for many people. There are also times when we desperately need rest but we are not able to take the time to unplug. Keeping busy is fashionable and now we have pride attributed to being too busy to cope even with mundane things of life. Many people suffer burnout as they try to navigate the demands of their lives. The reach for the elusive dream has broken many hearts making it impossible to really rest even when we are away from the challenging environment. People struggle to sleep as their minds are still working when they are in bed. Life has turned into a roller coaster of events and activities, yet without emotional connection, so that the results never seen to satisfy. Emotional, physical and psychological exhaustion is a reality for many. Sadly, at the end of a holiday, there are times when we feel like we need to take another holiday before we start to work again. To many, the idea of true REST is a mirage.
Brethren, rest was instituted by God Himself. Right at creation, we get to know that God rested on the 7th day (Genesis 2:2). God not only took time to disconnect and rest but also knew that it was important that we too learn the need for rest. Our reference verse above informs us that regardless of the busyness of life, there is a place of REST for the people of God. The children of Israel on their way to the promised land, failed to enter God’s rest because of their disobedience. As they mistrusted God’s leadership for the journey, the Lord God was displeased and so He declared that they would not enter His rest (Psalm 95:11). It is because of their unbelief that they failed to benefit from God’s version of rest for them (Hebrews 3:19). It is worth noting that God in His mercy has conditions for rest, these are faithfulness and obedience to Him. God is faithful beyond measure and His word challenges me when He says that even when we choose to be faithless, He remains faithful – reason, He cannot deny Himself (2 Timothy 2:13). Faithfulness is God’s righteous character and He cannot be God without being faithful, that is why He states that He cannot deny Himself. Beloved, accepting that this is God’s character, we must also know that He expects faithfulness from us too.
Upon further reflection, I understood that God sees unbelief as disobedience. The children of Israel failed to enter God’s planned rest for them because they had unbelief. We cannot walk with God if we do not have faith in Him, believing in Him is the premise of our relationship. It is no wonder that the bible reminds us that without faith it is impossible to please God for those who come to Him must believe that He exists (Hebrews 11:6). It is critical that we gain the understanding that believing in God, being faithful to Him are all steps of obedience to God. God sees obedience as being faithful, so we are called to hold fast to our faith (Hebrews 10:23). It is not an issue of either or, it is a matter of all of them being applied to our walk of faith. Finally, God lets us know that we enter rest when we cease from our efforts and trust God and His faithfulness (Hebrews 4:10). It is possible to keep seeking God’s rest in our lives and never fully experience it if we continue to live by our own effort. God in entering rest, ceased from His works and that is what we are called to be and to do. We are to accept that we cannot make it by ourselves and so surrender to His leading in all situations of our lives. When we get to this point of utter surrender, we will realize God’s fullness of rest.
Thoughts:
In what areas are you feeling the pressure to prove yourself?
Are there moments you have known God’s true rest?
What do you practically need to do to enter God’s REST?