July 7 - Enter His Rest

July 7 - Hebrews 4:1-11 - Enter His Rest

I've spent enough time around philosophy-lovers that my brain starts reeling sometimes as I listen to them bat ideas back and forth. When I read these verses, that happens to me again.

The author of Hebrews wants us to completely understand that resting in God is so much more than what our bodies need to restore us to face another day.

When God rested on the seventh day, the Sabbath, it was after he had fully and perfectly completed His Creation.

As we come to know God's rest, we not only rest from our work, but we are putting our faith completely and totally in Him. This is about faith. Faith in the Creative power of God, faith in the saving grace of Jesus Christ.

Lack of faith kept the Israelites from God's rest. Lack of faith can keep Christians from God's rest. The only barrier to resting in God is if we back away in disbelief ... if we harden our hearts.

Entering into God's rest comes from not only hearing the Gospel, but believing it as well. It brings forgiveness of sins and peace to our hearts.

Ever since I have been an adult, I seemed to search for peace. I knew that it would be found in God, but it seemed as if the world constantly battered me until I was exhausted. We are all exhausted. But, this is because we try so hard to do this all alone. Sabbath rest is not about a decision that we make to cease working one day a week, it is about being obedient to God's call and deliberately setting ourselves aside so that we can enter His rest.