Yesterday, I took some time to rest. I didn’t write anything, I didn’t get into the office, I took the day off, shut myself inside…but I didn’t really rest. That’s a problem, isn’t it? Sure, I stayed in my pajamas, I took a nap, but I was restless. I tried to occupy my mind with things, and that, in hindsight is where I went wrong. As a follower of Christ, He says to me “come to me and I will give you rest,” not “go watch your TV, or read your favorite book, or do what makes you happy,” but “come to me.”
Isn’t that funny how we all do that? We work for the weekend, but, when the weekend arrives, we often leave it more exhausted than when we came into it. Last week, I had someone pour wisdom into me. He said “your mind is weary, and that is where Satan attacks, when your defenses are down.” And it’s true! When we’re weak in mind and body and spirit, the enemy comes in and tries to claim territory and victory in our lives. We need rest, and the only true source of that rest is in Christ Jesus. There is nothing wrong with spending time with family, and, in the proper context, being entertained is okay too. But when we need rest, and we need it, we go to Christ. We should not just seek one day a week, but every day seek to enter in His rest. In Christ there is life and peace and joy. He is the only place where we may seek and find that rest we long for. Accept His offer!
Hebrews 4
Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened. For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said,
“As I swore in my wrath,
‘They shall not enter my rest,’”
although his works were finished from the foundation of the world. For he has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way:
“And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.” And again in this passage he said,
“They shall not enter my rest.”
Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience, again he appoints a certain day, “Today,” saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted,
“Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts.”
For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.
Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
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