The Paradox of Rest

Hebrews 4:11a (KJV) Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest.

Eno was excited and filled with joy. She put a call across to Doris asking, “So since God is at work in me to work His good pleasure, it is settled. I don’t have to do anything else. Or do I?”

The idea of God’s Rest does not absorb man of his responsibility. It just means that man’s labors must be directed at receiving, walking in, and making the most of God’s provision. Apostle Peter writing to believers began by assuring us that God’s divine power has given us “all that pertains to life and godliness”, and that He has bestowed on us the privilege of partaking in His divine nature. Nonetheless, in the very next breath, he says the following:

“And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to your virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Read 2 Peter 3-8).

The believer who wishes to walk in the benefits of God’s Rest begins by understanding that only by trusting in the finished works of Christ can he be justified, then he begins to joyfully release himself to God’s demands upon his life knowing that God supplies the ability to do them. He is no longer trusting in his abilities to produce God’s result and so he buries all his efforts into building his faith, receiving strength in his inner man, understanding the will of God and following the leading of the Holy Spirit.

He builds his capacity to trust God even more, he gives himself to praying, and praying the right way, knowing that this builds him up as well as makes God’s tremendous power available for working. He renews his mind and enjoys the transformation of the Holy Spirit. Where before he tries to get healing because of his need for it, now he prays to receive healing in full assurance because he has seen and believed that God’s word says he is healed.

Labour therefore but not to produce dead works, but rather to enter God’s rest from whence good works are produced in righteousness.

Pray like this: Lord, help me enter your rest and cease from my own fruitless works. Amen.