Working for the Weekend?

May 19

Read: Hebrews 4:1-13

Working for the Weekend?

“So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.” (v.9)

There is a greater “rest” that is awaiting the people of God than any “sabbath” or saturday / weekend that we will ever enjoy here and now. The glamour of this world striving for the ideals of “retirement” so you can finally “rest”… or the beleaguered laborer quipping “TGIF” as he ends the work week… these are hold overs of a deeper desire that God has built in us. These are remnants from the garden of Eden… specters of a time when even our “work” in the garden was carried out against the backdrop of our “rest” in God. In short - we all hunger for rest, and for the Christ followers there is a greater “rest” awaiting us jn Jesus. This is not to day that we don’t enjoy amazing days of rest and restoration on this earth as gifts from God… but rather to hold out the truth that there are always “better days ahead” for those who are in Christ Jesus. The best days here are but a taste of what is to come for the children of God.

These days of “foreshadowing rest” come for us today when we take a break from our own scramble… our own efforts of earning favor… when we stop trusting in OUR work and begin to trust in the LORD’s WORK. This is what the book of Hebrews says over and over again in this passage. Christ is holding this out for us! The opportunity to rest in the Lord.

If I am being transparent, it can be hard to rest sometimes. Especially if rest can only come when there is nothing left to do; what I mean to say is if there is literally no work or possible task left in this world. That will never be the case in this lifetime. The “to do” list will never truly be “done”. There is literally an endless amount of work in this world. There is always something else you could be doing. The only person who has ever checked EVERY BOX and totally completed his “to do” list is God. It says so here in Hebrews:

“…although his works were finished from the foundation of the world. For he has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.” (v.3,4)

This is why God is the only one who can actually give rest… offer it to us as his creation… and his people. He is the one who has “completed his work”. He knows true rest and shares it with his children. This rest will never come through our works, but only through HIM. This rest is rooted in the Son. (v.3:5,6,14) Moses and the law… the system that Israel would be under … it offered no true rest. It is only confidence and belief in Christ that allows us to experience the rest of God - both the “foreshadowing rest” of today as well as the future ret of the Kingdom. (cf. 3:14,19)

Trusting in GOD’S WORK means we can take a break from OUR WORK. Trusting in God’s provision and plan means that when he calls us to rest, we can actually rest! This is not because our “punch list” is completely finished… but because he realize that he is working even when we are not! God has gifted his people rest. He shares it with us. In a way… a sort of crude analogy… it is as if God says to his people: “ I have already completed all of my work, why don’t you take a break and I will do yours.” - “for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.” (v. 4:9)

As you wrap up this week and head into the weekend, may you find rest in the Lord. Might we have opportunities to take a beak form OUR work knowing that God has called us to reset in him. He is actually offering you REST in and through is Son - Jesus Christ. Bring whatever work you have… whatever to do list you are keeping… and present it to the Lord. Ask him to lead you into REST. Tell him what you feel like you need to be doing, and then ask him to tell you what you need to hear from HIM. Let him lead you. You might be surprised to hear what God is willing to “take off your plate”… LOL. He might just say, “why don’t you take a break and rest in ME, I will take care of that.” This sort of “rest” is not relegated to just one day of the week… or one moment on Saturdays … or Sundays… no, it is the sort of rest God is calling his people to live in DAILY as we look forward to the even greater rest that is to come! Matthew Henry says this, “God has always declared man’s rest to be in him, and his love to be the only real happiness of the soul; and faith in his promises, through his Son, to be the only way of entering that rest.” May we rest well this weekend. Love you guys. - JDP