My son and I spent a few days with friends at their home in the beautiful northern region of New England in the US. Our visit followed my ninth consecutive year of fruitful but intense ministry in East Africa. Depleted and in need of recharging, I was grateful for the physical rest my friends’ hospitality provided.
Ultimately though, it was the spiritual refreshment I experienced that did the most to renew my heart, mind, and strength. As my host Michelle and I dug into Hebrews 4 together, she encouraged me to meditate on the passage and to reflect on the rest, wisdom, comfort, and direction that are offered through Jesus alone.
I was particularly struck by verses 1-6, which explain how God’s promises of rest still stand. This rest has been prepared since He made the world. We have proof God cares about rest because He Himself rested on the seventh day; and God’s rest is available for people to enter.
Yet “even though this rest has been ready since he made the world” (Hebrews 4:3), the writer of Hebrews declares that many fail to enter into spiritual rest because of faithless hearts that refuse to believe God created rest for His people and because we disobey God, as the people of Israel did (Hebrews 4:1-3,11).
While physical rest can be obtained in many ways, spiritual rest can only be achieved through faith in Christ. The writer of Hebrews exhorts us to “do our best to enter that rest” He’s provided for us (Hebrews 4:11). Those with hardened hearts toward God won’t experience His rest (Hebrews 4:3,7). But those with hearts softened to Him and His Word, who listen to His voice, and who place their faith in Him will experience the peace and restoration only He can offer.
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Luke 2:1-20
More:
Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the hardened corners of your heart that are preventing you from entering into His rest (Hebrews 4:11).
Next:
According to Hebrews 4:2, when could God’s rest not do you or someone else any good? In other words, what must a person have in order to enjoy the rest God offers?
Gary Shultz on June 10, 2017 at 5:33 am
Hi Roxanne: Nine years is a long stretch to go before a rest. And of course, at least to me, this rest thing includes a lot of defining. There is a rest we engage in here on earth, then there is the rest we look forward to in eternity. However, let there be no confusion we will not just be setting around playing harps all the time. God’s plans for us have just started and He has an eternal deeply satisfying and glorifying plan for each of His children. Each day we can find rest by casting our cares on Him. The there are times of special retreat where we are able to come aside and experience, probably what you did in the land of the Patties, a time of special rest and reflection. And thank God He placed the seven day plan where we get opportunity for scheduled spiritual and physical refreshment. To find the rest of God’s presence in stressful times and have peace is a “rest”. All we really need is to believe what God has promised. Thanks Roxanne
don777 on June 10, 2017 at 7:03 am
Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth, BIBLE, This is Gods Word that is TRUTH. This is where we find the instruction of rest. Faith is simply belief in action. (knowledge of Truth becomes Wisdom when acted upon.) Feelings are not always Truth. So knowing Truth & acting upon it whether we feel like it or not, is Wisdom. This is all possible with the strength of the Holy Spirit. I believe this is one of the reasons we are here on earth. To exercise this. Draw near to God that He will draw near to us. I must decrease that He will increase. Let go and let God. We are being purged of self. I need to get out of the way and let God. i must SURRENDER, selfish/selfless. Doing life God’s way, Not my way. Most of this is accomplished through test & trials. something nobody wants to hear, Because they hurt. But when i let go and let God take over, i can have peace in my soul beyond all understanding no matter what is going on around me. +>i
hsnpoor on June 10, 2017 at 3:11 pm
Roxanne, thank you so much for this devotional today. The timing is clearly (to me) God-ordained, in that I have been in a discussion with a friend, who is a member of the SDA church, who came to me and asked why I worshipped on Sunday instead of Saturday. This devotion prompted me to really put my beliefs in a coherent narrative and I emailed them to her this morning. Long & short summary of my response is that God’s commandment had nothing to do with a specific day of the week, but rather was a gift to us meant to be given back to Him for what He did, in Jesus, to release us from the burden and yoke of his Law, into right, abundant and restful living via an obedience born of a loving relationship with Him, instead of a penal code of conduct, that is empowered by His Holy Spirit. Though his command is to labor 6-days and rest on the 7th, as per His pattern in the Creation narrative (noting he never named the name of that 7th day, which I find highly instructive), when I think of what He has done for me, 1 in 7 is hardly enough! It should be more like 24/7/365!!! Thank you again for jump starting me on my way this morning. Please pray the seed offered and planted in faith will bear much fruit, to God’s glory!
yinka on June 14, 2017 at 2:38 pm
Roxanne thank God for His rest that is there for His sons to enter, as we continue to exhibit faith in his word,and not unbelief,opportuned and privileged we are to enter into His rest.
Hmm delicious..so now that we’ve entered,how can we be beneficiaries of rest given to us more and more.
Matthew 11;25-30
By seeing that yes as we continue to grow and work,proffering solutions to situations,running through visions,in accordance to His will,we are to continue to see that all things are delivered unto us of my father:as to whomsoever the son will reveal;as God allows.
It is by seeing this,we thus cont to give labour,burden and rest its rightful place,predisposing ourselves to the experience of more delicious labour,burden and rest given to us more and more.
Hmm delicious..so now that we’ve entered,and we are given,how can we be beneficiaries of finding,receiving rest more and more.
By learning from our Everlasting father,Lord,friend and big brother Jesus Christ.
By exhibiting meekness and lowliness of heart, taking His yoke which is easy and His burden light, we shall find rest,receiving rest more and more…
Thankyou lord.