Obedience=Rest

One thing I love about God’s living and active Word (Hebrews 4:12), is the new-ness I experience as I read passages I’ve read so often. and yet, God reveals something deeper that I’ve missed before.

This happened, AGAIN, as I was studying Hebrews this time…an amazing book in the Bible that ties the Old Testament to the New Testament like no other! The writer of this book warns against not believing God, not following Him in obedience. Hebrews 3:15-19 says:

Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.
For who heard and rebelled? Wasn’t it all who came out of Egypt under Moses? With whom was God angry for forty years? Wasn’t it with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, if not to those who disobeyed? So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.

Israel, disobeyed and failed to enter Canaan, their “rest”. So, their disobedience = no rest. But the next few verses in Hebrews 4:1 say this:

Therefore, since the promise to enter his rest remains, let us beware that none of you be found to have fallen short. For we also have received the good news just as they did. But the message they heard did not benefit them, since they were not united with those who heard it in faith. For we who have believed enter the rest...(Hebrews 4:1-3a)

We who believe, enter His divine everlasting rest. This is what salvation is to us. Eternal rest with Christ. Along with that rest, we can experience rest from striving to figure out our purpose in life, striving to find salvation through things other than Jesus, striving to be “good enough” to get into heaven. We even have the ability to rest from striving in disobedience to God’s Truth, which now is possible through the power of the Holy Spirit.

If that’s true, then why do we, as followers of Christ, still struggle in the unrest of disobedience? I think we know in our hearts that we should obey God’s Word. Of course then, that means we must be IN His Word on an ongoing basis so we KNOW what it says. And, I believe, we also desire to rest…but it is hard to stand strong and obey when culture tells us it’s not really that important. And yet, obedience = rest!

We understand the importance of physical rest that comes with sleep, and we know God ordained Sabbath rest for us to spend with Him in worship, spiritual renewal and restoration. But have you ever considered the rest you experience when you obey? I hadn’t, at least until I read Hebrews 3…again! When I rebel and disobey God, I cannot rest in peace. As an image-bearer of Christ, He won’t let me get by without convicting me of my wrong actions.

Oh, but the sweet rest that occurs when I confess, repent and obey! Even if I have to do this continually throughout the day! Sweet rest on earth! And that doesn’t even compare to the sweetest rest we will experience eternally because of Christ!

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