Introduction:
There are many voices of the world that would seek to claim the attention of our hearts. How do we sift through the noise to find the calming and restful voice of God? Do you find it hard to rest? The Bible clearly illustrates for us why rest is so important for Christians- and not just physical rest, but also spiritual rest.
- God established rest as part of the creation story:
“So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.” (Genesis 2:3). Our need for rest is not a mistake, but rather part of the design. If God models this as part of His nature, it means that as His creation, it is built into who we are as well. - Jesus’ mission included rest:
Luke 11:46 shows us that many of the spiritual leaders of Jesus’ day gave their followers commands directed at the personal achievement of righteousness and sanctification. Jesus says, “And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them.” (Luke 11:46). Jesus came with a message that we can follow the Law WITH the spirit of peace, not for us to live in a constant state of worry as we try to measure up to the line of earned righteousness. - Jesus died to give us lasting rest:
“God Shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him for the wrath of God.” (Romans 5:8-9). What great hope and relief this truth provides for us today. We cannot pay the price that was needed, and we are also not asked to. Have rest today in the sacrifice of our Savior. - God gives rest to his people:
Psalm 23 invites us to calming and peaceful actions: lie down, follow the lead of our good Father, and the restoring of our soul. Why can this seemingly easy action be so difficult in our life? Because it requires selflessness as it directs to God’s great glory and not our own. There can only be one seated on the throne of our heart, and this seat belongs to God. He asks us to follow as the sheep and not to lead as the Shepherd. - Heaven is rest:
Hebrews describes heaven as “God’s rest” (Hebrews 4:10-11). That is our citizenship and inheritance- a place of perfect rest. This is not to say that what lies before us in this life is inaction, but rather our work should be movements down the path that glorifies God in place of ourselves. And the hope and promise that lies before us is lasting and eternal rest- the redemption of creation as it was intended at the beginning of time.
Conclusion:
How does remembering the life, death and resurrection of Christ work to actively bring you peace today? Do you strive for God’s rest on a daily basis? May our journey towards this peace reflect the truth of John 3:30- “He must become greater; I must become less”. We work not for our own fame, but for the rest that Christ gives us through his loving and lasting sacrifice on the cross.
Blessings,
Benjamin Arndt
netWell CEO
