Rest
"Come to Me, all you 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. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light"
(Matthew 11:28-30)
"Therefore as the Holy Spirit says: "Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of trial in the wilderness, Where your fathers tested Me, proved Me, And saw My works forty years. Therefore I was angry with that generation, And said, "They always go astray in their heart, And have not known My ways.
So I swore in My wrath, They shall not enter My rest."
(Hebrews 3:7-11)
What God offered the nation of Israel following their release from Egyptian bondage, He offers us today through His Son Jesus. They were to enter the promise land, and enter into God's "Rest." But they rebelled, as do we today. What a blessed experience to enter into God's "Rest." As our spiritual 911 number tells us: "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress.
My God, In Him I will trust." (Psalm 91:1-2)
Why is it that we refuse to accept the benefits of God's "Rest." So many are in a desperate search for love, for peace, and hope in their lives.
We are looking for security in all the wrong places. God wants to provide this. And He can through His Son Jesus. Jesus came and brought salvation for our souls. He came to teach us how to treat one another in this selfish and evil worldly environment.
He is our anchor in the midst of the severest storms. And even if we die to this life, He promises that He will provide for us an eternal rest in the next life.
The Hebrew writer presents to us a direct and crucial question:
"For if the Word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward. How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him?" (Hebrews 2:2-3)
The steadfast announcement by the angel to the shepherds: "For there is born to you this day in the city of David, A Savior, Who is Christ the Lord." (Luke 2:11) And in our text, Jesus gave an invitation to all of us to come to Him for "Rest" for our souls. This is not just a temporary "Rest," but an eternal rest. How can we refuse to embrace such a precious and glorious opportunity? And yet we have, and we will continue to do so.
But to those who do take advantage of this promise, how blessed they will be.
Where are you today? Are you in in the depths of misery caused by the heavy yoke of sin and the world? You don't have to be. You can be set free today, and experience the light burden of the Lord, over the overwhelming weight of sin and guilt that holds you down. I heard someone say: "I would rather take the worst day of the Christian life, over the best day the world has to offer."
What will you say to Jesus today? Will you desire to enter into His "Rest" today? GP
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