Daily Bread
Hebrews 4
8For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. 9There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. 11Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.
Observation:
As the writer of Hebrews recalls the rest that Joshua longed to bring the people of Israel, he relates it to rest from their enemies around them. But then he talks about the Sabbath-rest, which is patterned after God, who on the seventh day rested from His work.
There is also the rest from work that the Israelites were commanded to do in the wilderness. The wilderness was already scary enough, but then they were also asked to trust in God for His provision by not working on the Seventh day, or harvesting crops on the Sabbath. It was a day to trust God and rest in His promises.
Finally, there is the ultimate rest from trying to earn our own salvation. As we trust in Jesus for salvation we can rest from our efforts to try and please him by our good works. We realize that we can’t do enough to earn God’s love, but we must rest in His amazing grace.
Application:
In our fast paced world of sixty hour work weeks, and weekends packed with activities, often we don’t take the time to truly rest. The Sabbath day is a reminder of our limitations, and also forces us to take time to realize that God is our ultimate provider.
And the greatest rest we can enter is the rest of God’s grace and forgiveness. We can rest from our endless striving to try and prove ourselves as worthy. We can rest in Jesus’ righteousness, instead of our own.
How are you doing today? Are you weary and burdened? Matthew 11:28 says, “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest, rest for your soul.” Have you experienced much soul rest lately? I love the saying, “My soul is restless until it rests in Thee.” (St. Augustine, 4th century)
May you find true rest from both your earthly and spiritual labor! God desires both for you!
Prayer: God we thank you for the true rest you provide in Your Son Jesus Christ. Help us to enter into the rest you have provided for us. And may we find rest for our souls so we will not become weary and burdened. Amen.
8For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. 9There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. 11Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.
Observation:
As the writer of Hebrews recalls the rest that Joshua longed to bring the people of Israel, he relates it to rest from their enemies around them. But then he talks about the Sabbath-rest, which is patterned after God, who on the seventh day rested from His work.
There is also the rest from work that the Israelites were commanded to do in the wilderness. The wilderness was already scary enough, but then they were also asked to trust in God for His provision by not working on the Seventh day, or harvesting crops on the Sabbath. It was a day to trust God and rest in His promises.
Finally, there is the ultimate rest from trying to earn our own salvation. As we trust in Jesus for salvation we can rest from our efforts to try and please him by our good works. We realize that we can’t do enough to earn God’s love, but we must rest in His amazing grace.
Application:
In our fast paced world of sixty hour work weeks, and weekends packed with activities, often we don’t take the time to truly rest. The Sabbath day is a reminder of our limitations, and also forces us to take time to realize that God is our ultimate provider.
And the greatest rest we can enter is the rest of God’s grace and forgiveness. We can rest from our endless striving to try and prove ourselves as worthy. We can rest in Jesus’ righteousness, instead of our own.
How are you doing today? Are you weary and burdened? Matthew 11:28 says, “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest, rest for your soul.” Have you experienced much soul rest lately? I love the saying, “My soul is restless until it rests in Thee.” (St. Augustine, 4th century)
May you find true rest from both your earthly and spiritual labor! God desires both for you!
Prayer: God we thank you for the true rest you provide in Your Son Jesus Christ. Help us to enter into the rest you have provided for us. And may we find rest for our souls so we will not become weary and burdened. Amen.
Comments
Post a Comment