learning DAILY



Hebrews 4:9-10, There remains therefore a rest for the people of God.  For he who has entered His rest has himself ceased from his works as God did from His.

I have been redoing some areas in our backyard where grass does not grow; I have been told that there is not enough sunlight hitting the area.  Lots of wheelbarrows of dirt and mulch to the back have caused me to be pretty tired at the end of the day.  It seems the need for rest came a lot quicker than a few years ago.

We know the importance of rest for our body at the end of a day’s work.  If we do not get a proper night of rest, there will be consequences the next day.  If physical rest is necessary for our physical body, spiritual rest is even more important for our spiritual well-being.  The author of Hebrews warns us about failure to enter God’s rest, due to unbelief, a hardened heart, and disobedience.  It seems easy to understand how one can fail to rest, but to understand the term “rest” seems unclear.

If one is to “rest” he needs to cease from doing work.  Now don’t go crazy on me this morning.  By ceasing to do work, I mean to cease striving to please God by doing works.  You cannot do enough good works to be perfect.  Rest is to cease from the legalistic things you are doing to try to please Him; just rest in His grace.

To “rest” means to be free from all those things that worry you or from whatever creates worry in your mind.  Jesus said not to worry about our life; whatever is going to happen will not be stopped by you worrying about it.  I would include the worry over the things you have done in your life.  To be in God’s rest is to be free from guilt because He has already forgiven the things of your past.

To “rest” means to be fixed in your thoughts about whom Jesus Christ is and what He accomplished for each of us at the cross and through His resurrection.  No more running to some philosophy contrary to the Word of God.  No, one is now grounded in God, established and rooted in the vine (John 15).  That is rest!

The David Jeremiah Study Bible, “The believer’s Rest is in Christ’s finished work on the cross.  Rest is not inactivity but harmonious involvement in God’s program.  To enter into God’s rest is to enter into His best!”  We enter that rest by faith in Christ and because the plan of Redemption was finished at the cross.

One other thought needs to be mentioned.  Entering God’s rest is to enter an eternal rest in heaven.  It can actually begin now, while on earth.  It is a ceasing from our labors, our sufferings and participating in God’s rest by experiencing unending joy, love, and fellowship with other Believers.  As God rested on the seventh day from His labor of creation, we too can enjoy rest.  Oh, by the way, it will be a seventh day of rest for eternity!

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