Rest Now and Later

 Hebrews 2 through 4, 4:1-13; Isaiah 30:15

This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it." Isaiah 30:15

Therefore, since the promise of entering His rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed. Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said,

“So I declared on oath in my anger,
    ‘They shall never enter my rest.’”

And yet His works have been finished since the creation of the world. For somewhere He has spoken about the seventh day in these words: “On the seventh day God rested from all His works.” And again in the passage above He says, “They shall never enter my rest.”

Therefore since it still remains for some to enter that rest, and since those who formerly had the good news proclaimed to them did not go in because of their disobedience, God again set a certain day, calling it “Today.” This He did when a long time later He spoke through David, as in the passage already quoted:

“Today, if you hear His voice,
    do not harden your hearts.”

For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from His. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. Hebrews 4:1-13

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What is rest? When God speaks of entering His rest, do we know what rest is? We strive to rest every day. Rest from work, from chores, from duties, from responsibilities. "One more thing; let me get this one more thing done and then, I can rest." Rest from stressful situations; that there would be an end, a positive end so it can be mindfully put to bed and rest. No one calling, texting, emailing, messaging. No one wanting a piece of you allowing you to rest. Rest. Sitting, laying down, walking without a thought or care, breathing deeply. Appreciating breath, life, those around us. Rest. Stopping the incessant nagging of life, pulling at your very being, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Sound. Noise. Ding, click, buzz. Flash. Lights, camera, action. Rest.

Where is rest? When is it time to rest? Now or later? What does rest look like? Feel like?

Rest.

In the future, we hope to hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter your Father's rest," spoken to us by God Himself. Is that the rest we are striving for? In the future? Some eternal future? What about now? What about today? Do we get to rest now?

God gave us a promise to enter into His rest. A rest from our work. A rest now. Today. Not just in the future. Not just during the eternal future but, here and now. Today.

Yes.

The promise is for today, and the future. Rest now and later.

Think about rest. Think about the context of, "...on the seventh day, God rested from His work." 

God, the Triune God of Father, Son, Spirit - Mind, Body, Spirit - already existed. He loved Himself. He enjoyed Himself. He is sovereign and perfect already. Needing no one or nothing to complete Himself, He wanted to create Creation to both enjoy all of Creation and to pour Himself into Creation so that all of Creation can also enjoy Him. The relationship between Creation and God was a physical extension of the Triune God relationship. Yet, He knew that one-third of His created angels would turn away from Him choosing self over God. (The ultimate sin; the very definition of sin.) He knew Mankind would follow suit where an untold percentage would choose self over God. Yet, God planned Creation, how to create all of it, in what order, how Creation would obey His authority instinct-fully whether each ultimately chose God or not. God created a plan to save Mankind, within Creation, knowing we beings would need saving from ourselves. Then God created everything. In the order He planned, with His authority knit into Creation's existence and instinct. After all of Creation was created, God rested from His work.

This was more than resting from the act of working. God rested knowing what He created and planned for all time, was complete and not lacking anything. God trusted in His plans. He trusted in His abilities to fulfill those plans, as He planned. He would not, did not, will not deviate from His plans. He would not worry that He missed something within those plans. Missed a detail. Forgot something. Did not anticipate something. Be surprised or shocked by someone or something He did not plan for. He trusted in Himself and all He planned and created. He knew what He did, how everything would play out, how everyone would act, and that His plans needed no adjusting. No tweaking. No, "Oops, I didn't realize this would..." He rested from His work. He trusted in Himself.

Rest. Trust.

When God invites us to rest, He is not inviting us to rest from physical labor. Rest from our efforts both personally and professionally. Resting from the things and activities of life. No. Jesus actually said, "My Father is always at His work to this very day, and I too am working." John 5:17

Resting is trusting. Trusting that God is God. God is who He said He is. That God is sovereign, all mighty, all knowing, all seeing, hearing, present, and defined by love without conditions. That He is capable of fulfilling His promises and plans. Willing to fulfill His promises and plans. That He knows everything about us. Every detail, thought, action taken, word spoken. He knew us before He created us. So therefor, we can trust God. Trust in Him. Trust Him to do what God said He would do.

As a result, we can turn away from our desire to control our lives and work out our plans. Plans that place self in God's role. Plans that remove God from our lives. Plans to benefit self over all else. Working to perfect ourselves. Hide our mistakes. Correct the issues we have caused or take on someone else's ill steps to correct. Because we can solve it; we can perfect it. Our plans are better than God's. He's unaware of an action taking place, a reason, a justification. If God would just do it our way, it would be better. Rest from self, from the demand of self.

Our prayers, if we pray, reflect this self over God. We think we can save ourselves. Save others. 

Really? We can save ourselves and others? So, what is our definition of salvation? 

God's definition of salvation is to save mankind from the mortal decision to choose self over God and the current and eternal repercussions for that continuous decision; that continuous demand of self.

This is a battle, a war so to speak. The battle of control. Control over all of Creation. The control over mankind. The battle to free ourselves from the slavery to self which is not of God; the very definition of sin - not God. In fact, the word Gospel is "good news proclaimed by a messenger sent to the people - a messenger from the king - that the battle for control over his kingdom has been won. We are now free from the oppressor, the enemy of our king." So, if a king saw his people being oppressed by an enemy, and engaged in that battle for control. And if that king steps into the fray, battles the enemy on behalf of his people and wins. Sends his messenger to proclaim the victory. And if some of those people refuse to accept the victory from their king and instead choose to align with the enemy of the king, you can understand why God says, "So, I declared on oath in my anger, they shall never enter my rest."

We who choose the enemy of God instead of God, after He has created all of us knowing our choices leading to failures, knowing our propensity to place self on our lives' thrones. The Sovereign God has provided access to a kingdom of freedom from oppression and control. A kingdom where the King rules with justice, rightness, complete and unconditional love. A kingdom where our good, our access to the king, and our relationship with the king are priorities. And yet, we choose to walk away from that King, we can understand why God says we will never enter His rest.

His rest is part of that salvation process. It's the act of choosing and trusting in God as God. As sovereign God. As Lord of all Creation.

God describes rest as a part of the act of salvation and invites us into that process, today. Today; when you hear God's voice, do not harden your heart. 

Today; when you hear God prompting you to turn away from the demand of self, replace that demand by turning away from self and turning to rest in God, who God is, who He says He is, and what He is able to do. Trust that God already knows every detail about you, your life, what you're thinking, desiring, doing. What is being impressed upon you, thrust upon you. What you can and cannot control. Rest from that demand of self over you and everything else. Rest in God. Lean against Him, putting your full weight onto Him and into Him. Allowing Him to work out the details He planned. Knowing that, "...in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him and are called (by Him) according to His purpose (His plans for you, others and mankind)." Romans 8:28 (Emphasis and explanation added by Rose)

There is freedom in resting. Freedom knowing that we do not need to strive to answer and obey the unceasing demands of self. Freedom to ignore the god of self and turn to the God of Creation. Freedom knowing that God, through His Spirit, has searched, is searching, will continue to search your heart (will) and mind (thoughts). He knows our thoughts, intentions, and actions before we know those things. He knew all details about us before He created us. Before we thought, spoke, acted. "Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give an account." Hebrews 4:13

And yet, God still loves us. Still calls us. Still uses every detail of our lives to fulfill His purpose. Complete His plans. Complete the work He set into motion at the beginning of time. As long as it is Today, God will continue to call, invite, work on our behalf. 

Rest. Freedom. 

Freedom from worry. Freedom from the constant pull to be in control of everything. Freedom from the, "If everyone did it my way, everything would be better." Freedom from the repercussions of our decisions, and from the results of the decisions others thrust upon us. 

Rest. Trust. Freedom. 

There is freedom knowing what rest God invites us into. It is rest from what we are striving for in life, today. Rest is not stopping your work. Not simply sitting still or emptying your mind of thought to provide an opportunity to rejuvenate. Yes, that type of rest is also critically needed for wellness of being both for self and the relationship between God and yourself; God and myself. Yet, God’s rest gives freedom to be with Him. A freedom to be present with God placing your full trust into God.

The Sabbath day was created for mankind and not that mankind was created to keep the Sabbath. (Mark 2:27) During Sabbath, a person is supposed to stop the focus on self and, replace that time spent with a focus on God. Reflecting on God. Communing with God. Talking with, praying, praising, thanking. A day of reflection and gratitude for all God has done with us, through us, for us. The Sabbath day is a physical representation of the rest God invites us into - Today. Sabbath is to be a day spent with God, without the interruption and interference of selfish thoughts and actions. However, Sabbath was not meant to be a time when we ignore critical needs or urgencies. Nor a time to ignore family communing together with one another and family with God. 

However, this Sabbath rest that God invites us to enter into, is completely and fully trusting in God while letting go of the call to control. Letting go of the call to be god of our lives. The nagging demand of self. The slavery to self.

We are invited to rest Today. Now. And later.

So, Today. When you hear the call of self and, you hear the call of God, turn from that demand of self. Turn to God and His invitation to allow Him to fulfill His plans in you, for you. His plans for your good. Plans for our good. For my good. To finish the good work He began in us, in me. He knows. He sees. He understands. He is able, He is trustworthy. We can rest in Him. I can rest in Him.

"Well done, good and faithful servant... Enter your Father's rest." Matthew 25:23