November 8-Entering Gods Rest

It’s Friday (I double checked!) And yes, I know it was Thursday yesterday, but for some silly reason, I wrote “Wednesday.” Maybe I was tired? I had all sorts of things I needed to do yesterday but I only got a fraction of it done. Believe it or not, I slept a good portion of the day and then all night, too. I suppose I needed the rest! Sometimes, (well probably a lot of the time) I go and go and go and then...collapse! My body says “Enough! It is resting time!”


You know, God Almighty teaches us that we need to enter into a time of rest like He did after six days of work. In Hebrews 4, the the message continues for the third time: 'Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts'. The required response here is compared to entering God’s rest. It is like God’s rest on the seventh day because God’s work of salvation is completed. The way is now perfect. Yet, this saving message of God’s love is only effective when it meets with our faith. 


“God’s promise of entering his rest still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it. For this good news—that God has prepared this rest—has been announced to us just as it was to them. But it did them no good because they didn’t share the faith of those who listened to God. For only we who believe can enter his rest. As for the others, God said, “In my anger I took an oath: ‘They will never enter my place of rest,’” even though this rest has been ready since he made the world.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭4:1-3‬ ‭NLT‬‬


It is also God’s rest because it is not by means of our own work or merit that we gain this salvation from God. The covenant Joshua inherited from Moses for the Hebrews required careful compliance and obedience to the law. And that required great effort and hard work, but our rest is not based on our efforts and our work. Ours comes from our faith. 


“Now if Joshua had succeeded in giving them this rest, God would not have spoken about another day of rest still to come...For all who have entered into God’s rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world. So let us do our best to enter that rest. But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall. For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.”

‭‭‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭4:8, 10-12 ‭NLT‬‬


Because of Jesus, our faith can have the word of God, can believe it and let it take control of every part of us. This word, like a sword, penetrates every area of our lives. God's word convicts us, drives us to be holy and gives us God’s rest. Our salvation rests in the finished work of Christ. And although our rest does not come as the result of our work, faith does involve action. 


Lord of Heaven, thank you for your rest and for your word that convicts us and drives us to be holy. Give us a new desire to read and study your word and as we do, we ask for the discipline to apply it throughout our lives. When we stumble, help us to remember our goal—your rest. And when we become selfish and wrapped in in ourselves, convict us and remind us to not harden our hearts. We praise you and worship you Lord. Your great grace amazes us and your love sustains us. Hallelujah. Amen and amen. 


Love you dear one,

Pam



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