Phil Rowlands

Hello, my friends!

Today, I'd like to share some thoughts with you about finding true rest in Christ. As we journey through life, it's easy to become weary and burdened by the cares of this world. We often seek rest in various ways – perhaps by taking a day off work, going on holiday, or pursuing hobbies and recreation. While these can provide temporary refreshment, there's a deeper, more profound rest that God offers us in Jesus.

The book of Hebrews presents a powerful message about this rest, drawing a parallel between the Israelites' journey from Egypt to the Promised Land and our spiritual journey as believers. Just as God called the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt, He calls us out of bondage to sin and into a new life in Christ. But the question is: will we enter into the rest God has prepared for us?

Friends, let's consider the sobering reality that many Israelites failed to enter God's rest due to unbelief. Despite witnessing incredible miracles – the plagues in Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, manna from heaven, and water from a rock – they still hardened their hearts and refused to trust God fully. We read in Hebrews 3:19, “So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.” What a tragic outcome after coming so far!

This serves as a warning to us today. How easy it is to start well in our faith journey but then allow doubt, fear, or complacency to creep in! We might be tempted to trust in our own efforts or return to old ways of thinking rather than resting fully in Christ's finished work. The writer of Hebrews exhorts us in chapter 4, verse 1: “Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it.”

The good news is that God's offer of rest still stands today! This rest is not merely physical relaxation or ceasing from activity. Rather, it's a deep, spiritual rest that comes from trusting fully in Christ and ceasing from our own works-based efforts to earn God's favour. As Hebrews 4:3 declares, “For we who have believed do enter that rest.”

Consider the significance of the word “today” repeated throughout this passage. “Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts” (Hebrews 3:15). This emphasises the urgency and present availability of God's rest. We don't have to wait for some future time or meet certain conditions – Christ's rest is available now to all who believe!

It's fascinating to see how God has woven this theme of rest throughout Scripture. Even in the story of Noah, whose name means “rest,” we see a beautiful picture of God's redemptive plan. When Noah was born, his father Lamech said, “This one will comfort us in the labour and painful toil of our hands caused by the ground the Lord has cursed” (Genesis 5:29). Just as Noah and his family found safety in the ark during the flood, we find our ultimate rest and security in Christ.

The account of the dove that Noah sent out provides a powerful illustration of this rest. The first time Noah released the dove, it could find no place to rest its feet and returned to the ark. This reminds us that true rest cannot be found in a fallen, sin-cursed world. The second time, the dove returned with an olive leaf, symbolising new life and hope. Finally, on the third release, the dove did not return, having found rest in the renewed earth.

In a similar way, God sent His Spirit into the world. In the Old Testament, we see the Spirit coming upon individuals for specific tasks, but not permanently indwelling them. Then, at Jesus' baptism, the Spirit descended like a dove and remained on Him. Jesus, as the perfect Son of God and the first fruits of the new creation, was the first to provide a resting place for God's Spirit. Finally, at Pentecost, God sent His Spirit to indwell all believers permanently. This fulfilled Jesus' promise: “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever” (John 14:16).

This brings us to a crucial point: the rest God offers is His own rest. Hebrews 4:10 says, “For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.” Just as God rested on the seventh day after completing creation, we enter into God's rest when we cease striving and trust fully in Christ's completed work on our behalf.

What does this mean practically for us? It means we no longer have to labour under the weight of trying to earn God's love or approval. We don't have to constantly worry about whether we're doing enough or being good enough. Instead, we can rest secure in our identity as beloved children of God, accepted and righteous in Christ.

This rest transforms how we live and serve. Instead of serving God out of fear or obligation, we serve from a place of love, gratitude, and confident assurance. Our work becomes an overflow of the rest we've found in Christ, not a means to attain it. As Jesus said, “Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:28-29).

It's important to note that entering God's rest doesn't mean we become passive or inactive. Rather, it's a different kind of activity – one that flows from a place of peace and assurance rather than striving and anxiety. We cease from our own works, but we engage in God's work, empowered by His Spirit.

Friends, let's also remember that this rest is not just a personal blessing, but part of God's larger plan of redemption. In Christ, God is bringing forth a new creation in which He can fully rest. Just as the dove finally found rest after the flood, symbolising new life and hope, God's Spirit now rests upon those who are in Christ, the first fruits of the new creation.

The writer of Hebrews makes an interesting comparison between Moses and Christ in this context. While Moses was faithful as a servant in God's house, Christ is faithful as a Son over God's house. Moses represented the old covenant, based on law and works, which could not provide true rest. Christ, however, ushers in the new covenant of grace, offering us the rest that comes from faith in His finished work.

This concept of rest challenges many of our ingrained ideas about spirituality and pleasing God. Some, like the Pharisees of Jesus' day, might argue that strict observance of the Sabbath or other religious practices is the key to finding rest with God. But Jesus showed us that He is the Lord of the Sabbath, and that true rest is found in Him, not in external observances.

In fact, God's perspective on empty religious observances is clear in Isaiah 1:13-14: “Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me. New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations— I cannot bear your worthless assemblies. Your New Moon feasts and your appointed festivals I hate with all my being.” God is not interested in outward compliance that doesn't stem from a heart at rest in Him.

Instead, God invites us into a relationship of trust and dependence. When we truly enter His rest, we stop trying to earn His favour and start living from the assurance of His love. This doesn't mean we stop working altogether, but rather that our work flows from a different source – not from fear or obligation, but from love and gratitude.

As we consider this theme of rest, it's important to understand that it's not just about personal peace or comfort. It's about aligning ourselves with God's ultimate purpose for creation. When God rested on the seventh day of creation, it wasn't because He was tired. It was because His work was complete, and everything was as it should be. But sin disrupted that rest, and ever since, God has been working towards the restoration of all things.

Jesus alluded to this when He said, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working” (John 5:17). The work of redemption and restoration continues, and we are invited to participate in it. But here's the beautiful paradox: we participate most effectively when we do so from a place of rest in Christ.

This rest is not passive, but active. It's not withdrawal from the world, but engagement with the world from a position of security in Christ. It's the rest that allows us to face challenges with peace, to love others freely because we know we are loved, to give generously because we know God's provision is endless.

Friends, entering into God's rest is a daily choice. It's a choice to trust in Christ's finished work rather than our own efforts. It's a choice to live from our identity in Christ rather than striving to earn God's approval. It's a choice to align ourselves with God's purposes rather than pursuing our own agenda.

As we conclude, let's remember that this invitation to rest is ongoing. The writer of Hebrews emphasises the word “today” because the opportunity to enter God's rest is always present. No matter where you are in your spiritual journey, whether you're just starting out or have been walking with God for years, His rest is available to you today.

Be blessed today, my brothers and sisters. May you experience the deep, transformative rest that comes from trusting fully in Christ. Let us encourage one another daily to remain in this rest, not hardening our hearts or turning back to old ways of striving. Remember, God's rest is available to you today. Will you enter in? Will you cease from your own works and trust fully in Christ's finished work? As you do, you'll discover a peace that surpasses all understanding, a rest that refreshes your soul, and a joy that strengthens you for every good work. In this rest, we find not just temporary relief, but eternal security and purpose. So let us press on, not in our own strength, but resting in the finished work of Christ, allowing His Spirit to work through us for His glory.

Phil