Hebrews 4 - Get Some Rest

We need a good rest.  We need to recharge on the weekend from the toil, stress, and work of the week.  That is how God designed it.  We have a system where the seventh day is for our recuperation.  Rest.

It is a gift of God to be able to enter His rest.  We follow God’s example and command when we rest on the seventh day (4:3-7).  As you know from a great night’s sleep and good food, rest is physical.  It impacts our ability to recover from sickness and recharge our mind and body.  But rest is also spiritual.  We need spiritual recharging, refocusing, and rest.  Spiritual battles are exhausting.

This passage tells us that spiritual rest is not available if a person does not know Jesus (4:3).  It also tells us that the time to trust Jesus and enter His rest is today (4:7).  There’s no time like the present.  Jesus gives us a day of rest, but He also walks alongside us and lifts our spiritual yoke, our burdens, every day.  God gives us an overwhelming benefit from being His children - He offers to renew you encourage you and make you refreshed.  Every morning.  Let’s hear from God today and accept His gift of rest.

        In addition to God’s offer to refresh us today, there is another day in the future when we will experience special rest (4:9).  That day is indeed the Lord’s Day - judgment day.  We get just a glimpse and taste of it every Sunday as gather and worship.  And we can be confident that on that day we will enter God’s special rest because God makes good on His promise.

        The Christian’s calling, written on your heart, is to obey Almighty God (4:11).  Listen to God’s voice - alive and powerful - exposing our every thought and desire (4:12).  

        We are accountable to God.  He alone understands our weakness.  And He gives us everything we need including guidance and rest.

        Have you noticed that we can be obsessed with experiences?  Experience is of course critical to wisdom, but experiences in and of themselves are not the end game.  Let’s ensure that our desires for experiences are focused on producing godly fruit.  That is, desire what pleases God.  Desire to develop deep, godly friendships - like Frodo and Sam - those in the battle thick and thin to the very end.  But let’s not let the pursuit of experiences be the goal.  You don't take a ring to Mount Doom just for the fun of it.

        Sports.  Being a dad.  Coaching.  Academics.  Professional achievements and accomplishments.  Marriage.  Grandchildren.  Travel.  Good food.  A Bible blog.  Decent wine.  Investments.  Building houses and businesses.  Understanding theology.  Church service.  Community service.  Style and fashion.  Haircuts.  Fitness.  Languages.  Relationships with friends and family.  Etc.

        If we think about it there is a long list of experiences we can pack into this short life.  These are all part of this wonderful life that God gives to his children.  Every perfect gift comes down to us from God the Father - who never changes or casts a shifting shadow (James 1:17).  But these experiences are not God’s main promise - the promise is to enter God’s rest.  Rest following hard work for God.

        We hear in Scripture that we ought to tremble with fear that some of us might fail to experience God’s rest (4:1).  Alarming.  God is gracious and merciful.  He knows we are human - all too well.  He will give us his grace and help when we need it the most.

        Yes, we get second chances; thank God!  But God is also clear in the warning that we will not enter God’s rest if we disobey God (4:11).  So many people do as the people of Israel did and disobey God - they just don’t care.  They don’t care about God’s promise.  They don’t trust it.  And, frankly, they have nothing to rest from as there is not an ounce of effort or labor for God in this life.  All of their effort is for their next experience, their next vacation, and various worldly ambitions.  I recall a preacher who often said all we need is Jesus.  Yet that same multi-millionaire demanded big raises every year on top of his seven-figure salary, use of the company jet, and every luxury imaginable.  All we need is Jesus indeed.

        And yet, thankfully, God’s Kingdom is forcefully advancing.  God's family grows daily.  Many millions know and obey God.  They know six days of hard work for Him.  And they love doing God's work as His yoke is light.  There is nothing quite like working alongside our Savior.  These children of God know their Saviour, their King.  And they tremble with fear that some of their friends or family may not enter God’s eternal rest.

        Dear Jesus, let us be sober-minded and come boldly to You today.  We desperately need to hear from You.  We want to labor for you and to enter your rest.  Amen.

With Kari and Abe (Stampede circa, 2003).