Resting In Christ

Verse of the day: Hebrews 4:1 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.

God has promised us rest, and provided for us, a Place of Rest (Matt 11:28-29); His Name is Jesus. The writer of Hebrews, however, warns us that it is possible to come short of receiving that rest. How is that possible? What could keep us from the promise of Rest? Unbelief. Unbelief, a lack of faith, can cause us to miss out on the rest that God has promised. This loss is compared to that loss the Israelites suffered in the wilderness for their unbelief (Heb 3:19). God had given them the Promise Land, yet when they surveyed the land (which was their idea, not God's), they allowed what they saw (giants in the land) to keep them from trusting God's promise (for though they did not yet occupy the land, God had already given it to them). It was this unbelief that angered the LORD, and caused Him to pull back His promise for the time being. Only two of the original surveyors, Joshua and Caleb, were allowed to see, and enter, the Promise Land (for they were the only two of that generation, besides Moses, who trusted God's promise); see Deut 1:5-39. For the unsaved person, the danger exists that their unbelief could result in eternal condemnation (Jn 3:18). For us, His children, we stand in danger of forfeiting our rest, peace of mind, and joy. When we face life's challenges, and we fail to trust God to guide us or fail to believe His Word, we forfeit our rest. When we choose our own way, and our own solutions, rather than God's way, we forfeit our rest. When we trust worldly ways, and the unsaved person's advice over God's wisdom, and His truth, we forfeit our rest. Thanks be to our Lord that He allows us repentance, and we are permitted to reenter His rest. Whatever it is that is weighing on you today, trust God, give it to Him, and proceed forward. Let us not be like those who wandered in the wilderness because of unbelief (for the consequence for their lack of faith, ultimately, was death). Jesus is the One in whom we find eternal rest, and rest from this weary world and its ways. He is our Prince of Peace. Let us find rest in Him.