Rest

So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His. Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience.

Hebrews 4:9~11

Rest. It is something that almost everyone I know wanted. Everyone is seemingly always tired. I know I am. Many of us so often tried to find rest by sleeping more, hanging loose with friends, watch tv and even play computer games, and yet we do not find rest. So what can we do about it?

The bible tells us in Matthew 11:28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. What does it mean to come to Jesus for rest? How to rest?

Well, it is interesting what this passage in Hebrews had to say about rest.

Hebrews 3 mentioned that God's wrath with the israelites' disobedience and unbelief caused them unable to enter His rest. Similarly, God warns us in Hebrews 4:1 that while a promise of entering His rest is true for us, we should fear that we may come short of it. Rest comes only with faith and obedience.

Later on in the passage, our rest is likened to how God, Himself rested on the 7th day after finishing His works of creation. Furthermore, we are to be diligent in entering that rest, lest we also fall away like the Israelites due to disobedience.

hmmm...so how? what then is rest? Is rest just the recovery from bodily fatigue or does it entails something more than that?

well...

Rest is a geographical blessing in the land of Canaan during the old testament times where there is permanence and security.

Rest is the end goal of creation, since God Himself rested on the 7th day, and is promises us that we too can enter into His rest, even from Joshua's time till now. By faith and obedience of course.

Rest is absence of work.

Rest requires effort and diligence to enter into. Not hardening your hearts, and with faith and obedience.

In this light, I think true rest is spiritual rest in our souls, where we believe God in faith that Jesus has taken away our restlessness due to sin. In Him, we can truly rest from worries from work, struggles knowing that there is eternal rest in heaven.

Be rested my dear brothers, physically and spiritually. =)