Comforts from the Cross - Day 26

I skipped Friday. I read the words on rest and decided to actually practice it. Turns out I had a most restful day. Without further ado...

Rest


Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. -Matthew 11:28-29

God has always promised rest to His children. The Father even showed us an example of rest after he completed Creation and in telling His people to take a day of rest in Exodus.  Hebrews 3:7-19 shows how the Israelities actually missed out on the rest that God promised. In Exodus 33:14, "My presence with go with you, and I will give you rest." "The good news, these Gospel words, were preached to them for hundreds of years, but it did not profit them because most of them just couldn't believe that God was that good, that loving, that powerful.  They just wouldn't rest in Him, in the work He had done, and the work He would do."

The same good news is available to us today. Do we trust in the promises of God's Word? If God says it, do I truly believe that He will do it? Remember when God finished Creation, He looked over it and described it as "very good." Then the next verse tells of the seventh day when He rested.  Hebrews 4:10 says this, "for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from His." What is the Bible telling us to do in this verse? "Sit back, survey His wonder---His power, His grace, His mercy, His kindness, His love---and then glory in it. Rest in Him." The Bible doesn't stop in verse 10 though, Hebrews 4:11 gives us an admonition, "Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience." The Bible says that when we don't rest we disobey? Disobedience really comes into play when we experience fear, rebellion, self-indulgence, anger, or self-pity as an act of unbelief in the goodness of God and His work.

Remember the verses in Matthew 11:28-30, our need and desire for rest isn't met on our own merit, but when we respond to the invitation of the Savior to rest in Him. Just like our salvation, our rest is not dependent on what we do, but on the work of Christ.  His invitation is, "Come to me... and I will give you rest." Today, I rejoice that God grants true rest.  It is a Saturday, so be intentional about taking some time to rest in the Lord. Respond to His invitation to come to Him, the Word tells us to strive to enter that rest. And when you rest in Him, survey the wonder that can be found in Him alone. I promise it will delight your heart!