Begin with two minutes of silence and stillness before God.
Rest. What does this word bring to mind for you? A nap? A spa-day? Lounging on the beach with nothing scheduled for the day? Rest is no doubt a popular word. How many times in the last month have you confessed that you “just need some rest”? And how unattainable does rest seem? With busy schedules and never-ending lists of things to do and accomplish, it seems as though rest is like a mirage in a desert; you see it on the horizon, but you’re not sure it actually exists. The Scriptures call us to a deeper rest than the physical rest you might be chasing. Rest is mentioned several times in this chapter of Hebrews, and verse one refers to rest as a promise. If you notice the context and follow the cross-referenced verses in your Bible, you’re likely pointed back to Deuteronomy 1, where Moses gives a recap of the Israelites’ wanderings in the wilderness. This “rest” actually refers to the rest God provided in the land of Canaan, also called the Promised Land. The Israelites took the long way to get there.
Further down in Hebrews 4, Sabbath rest is also mentioned, which is the rest that God instituted in Genesis 1; the work and rest rhythm of 6 days of work and 1 day of Sabbath rest. But what does that mean for us? Verse 9 reminds us that “there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God" (ESV). This means not only in the physical realm, as we observe rest from our work on a weekly basis and show our trust in God’s provision for us, but spiritually speaking as well. We can rest in God’s promises, regardless of our circumstances. We do that by trusting that He is Who He says He is. We can also rest in Him for our eternal security if we have called on Jesus Christ as our Savior and have surrendered our lives to Him.
I love to talk about the Lord’s provision for us, and it excites me to be able to tell you that the Lord has actually made it possible for us to find rest in Him by providing the means to get there, all mentioned in this passage. First, He gave us His Word. Verse 12 says, “For the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (ESV). God’s Word, the Bible, is different from any other book you could ever read. The Lord uses His Word to teach us about His character, how we can know Him, and how we can live for Him. Secondly, He sent us Christ as our High Priest, who can actually “sympathize with our weaknesses” (verse 15, ESV). Lastly, all of these things give us “confidence to draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Verse 16, ESV). You’ve been given an invitation to rest, and you’ve been given the tools to do so. Augustine, an early church father, wrote: “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they find rest in You.” This is true rest.
Take two minutes to reflect in silence.