Rest

There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his.                                                                                    Heb.4.10

God has made a Sabbath rest. He rested Himself and He invites man to rest also. But not everyone will realise this rest. The writer has said earlier (v3) that only those who believe will rest. Those who heard but did not combine it with faith (v2) will not experience this rest.

The Sabbath rest of God is a topic that could take a lot of enquiry and research. But, for now, I record just a few things that come to mind.

The ultimate rest, and perhaps the ultimate Sabbath, will come in eternity and, of course, it will last forever. Meanwhile there is a rest that is available to me now. We are told that God enacted all His creative work in six days and then rested. We are invited by God to also rest. The rest is His, and we are called to share with Him in His rest. This seems to me to require little of me beyond my complete surrender to Him. As I write these words I have a real sense of His arms, open and outstretched toward me, inviting me to come to Him, to relax in His comforting and strengthening hold, and to simply rest – and rest simply – in Him.

There may be times when I will cease all that I’m doing and surrender into His rest. I see this as the ultimate earthly experience of the Sabbath rest. It is also possible for me, however, to “rest in Him” as I go. As I allow myself to do this and still enjoy times of total Sabbath rest in Him, I will find myself always in Him, and always at rest.

Lord God,

I see You beckoning me to join You in rest, in a God-given, God-blessed Sabbath rest. I come to You. Setting aside all else, I release myself to You now. I am still. I sense peace. Indeed the atmosphere is filled with Your gentle presence. Draw me close, Precious One. I come to rest in and with You. I praise You.               Amen.