God's work finished on the seventh day of creation. Jesus' work finished on the cross. They are resting. At peace. Full of joy and hope. God has set before me a promise of rest and commanded me to go in and possess the land. Why do I hang around at the edges of the Jordan, then, wringing my hands in worry and unbelief? That amounts to disobedience. The refusal to rest in God's promise reveals a heart that disbelieves the extent of His goodness towards me. "He brought me miraculously this far, but I'm not sure I trust His ability or willingness to give all that beautiful abundance to me." Why do I still imagine there are limits to God's love for me? After all He's done?!
The good news is that God continually says, "Today! Today is the day! Enter into My rest! Settle down in the belief that I am Good, I do Good, I have Good things for you to enjoy and for you to do!" Entering into God's rest is obeying His heart; realizing that my works are useless to get me into His promises. He has given His word, the word that is never empty or void, but always full and fruitful! His word is living and active! The day assigned for entering the rest and the promises of God is: today! Always today!
I know, some of you are thinking, "Faith without works is dead." Yes! But all my works must flow from a place of resting in the finished work of God and in the bounty of His promises for me! Jesus came to give me abundant Life! Not for me to sit on my hands and wallow in it. He did not intend for me to be a reservoir, but a river. Sitting water becomes stagnant; flowing water is fresh and alive! So I rest in all He has done, and I let the effect of His finished work flow out of me. Obedience does not equal working harder in order to please God; obedience is resting in the undeserved love of Jesus that covers my inadequacies and positions me in God's pleasure, so that I can taste effectiveness through Jesus' obedience. Love is cultivated through rest. Obedience is a result of love. Therefore rest is a first step. How do I enter that rest? By faith. And without faith it is impossible to please God. Faith. Rest. Love. Obedience. It only works in that order.
Life can be very tough. And there are often problems and stressful issues that try to pull us away from rest. We must ignore those demands. The enemy wants to use those things to increase negativity, worry, panic, fear, doubt, and depression in us. God wants to use those things to promote us, changing us more into the likeness of Christ! Holy Spirit has a positive to replace any negative in your life. So often, though, God speaks in that still, small voice that can only be heard in a place of rest. "Be still and know that I am God." Stay in rest, receive the positive from God. Then step out in faith towards your promised inheritance in Christ!
Lift up your eyes to the hills, flowing with milk and honey. A place of abundance and joy set aside for you! God has good plans for your future! He also has good works He wants you to do with Him! Passions you are uniquely designed to carry in the Kingdom! Gifts you possess to minister blessing to the nations! Now look down at your feet...there is a mighty river flowing fast past your toes. It is a time of decision. Will you turn back in fear, doubting the goodness of God? Or will you finally obey in faith, as the priests carrying the Ark of the Presence into the Promised Land. Like the priests of Israel so long ago, God requires the first step from you. Like them also, as you put your foot down, the rushing waters will part for you to cross smoothly into your promise. You carry the Presence! Who can stand against you? His rest is for you! Today!
Bliss to you!
Sarah
Hebrews 4:1-13
1 Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it. 2 For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard. 3 For we who have believed enter that rest, just as He has said, “As I swore in My wrath, they shall not enter My rest,” although His works were finished from the foundation of the world. 4 For He has said somewhere concerning the seventh day: “and God rested on the seventh day from all His works”; 5 and again in this passage, “They shall not enter My rest.” 6 Therefore, since it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly had good news preached to them failed to enter because of disobedience, 7 He again fixes a certain day, “Today,” saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before, “Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts .” 8 For if Joshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken of another day after that. 9 So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. 10 For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His. 11 Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience. 12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.
Psalm 121:1
Exodus 3:8
Psalm 36:8
Isaiah 55:2
Jeremiah 31:14
2 Corinthians 8:2
John 10:10
Jeremiah 29:11
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