Finding Rest

Read: Hebrews 4:1-13

       In Genesis 2 after God created the heavens and the earth verses 2-3 says this, “By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.  Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.”
 
Most of the time when we read these verses or other passages like Hebrews 4:1-13 we think about the sabbath day of rest, or Sunday as Christians in the West refer to it.  Rest, worship, and a change of pace are always good for our soul as well as our physical well-being.  If you haven’t been taking advantage of your Sunday rest, please begin this week.
 
But there is also another kind of rest that we need to consider as well.  Recently I heard a pastor ask this question.  Are you experiencing God’s rest in your life?  At first, I wasn’t sure where he was going with that question, but then he made it clearer for me.  He said, “Are you worn out trying to control everything and everyone around you?  Maybe it is time to resign as general manager of the universe and start believing God’s promises and trusting God to do what only he can do.”
 
I realized at that moment that there are two kinds of rest.  Resting from physical work and resting from mental work.  Yes, we need to rest from our normal jobs and take time to refresh, worship, and recharge.  But often we need to rest from trying to control everything as well.  Hebrews 4:11 says, “Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.”
 
You see, trying to control everything ourselves often leads us into disobedience.  Instead, we are encouraged to enter into the rest of God which places the control in his hands and allows us to trust in Jesus for all things.  This truly is the way to find God’s rest.
 
Make it Personal:  What is it in your life that you are trying to control?  How about you take a rest from that and give God control of the situation.  Trust in the promises of Jesus to see you through and take a rest.  Oh yes, and also remember to rest on Sunday.  There are some wonderful churches in our community to worship with!  Worship Jesus and then rest well!
 
Have a great week, Pastor Glen Rhodes