I am tired. I think I’m getting sick too. Shame really. I just missed the last family cold…I guess I didn’t really miss it, it was just lying in wait for me until it had run its course in the others. Oh well. I’ve been thinking about rest a lot lately. Probably for the above reasons. Why do we prize rest so much? We do we prize relaxation and enjoyment? Why do we work so hard for it? Why do we think that we deserve it?
I think about Jesus’ life. He worked tirelessly. He hardly slept…and hardly slept comfortably I’m sure. He hardly had a moments peace, with multitudes constantly coming to Him for healing and such. He was constantly working with ill attitudes and misunderstandings from the crowds, the religious leaders and His own disciples (one of which was a traitor which He knew).
What about others? Think about the “hall of faith.” People had their possesions confiscated, were tortured, sawn in two, fed to lions, beheaded, crucified and other such things. Paul was beaten, shipwrecked, stoned, persecuted beyond measure, imprisoned, abandoned and all for the sake of the gospel. What have you had to endure? Really? What have you had to endure for the sake of the gospel? I’m not talking about everyday, ordinary trials. I’m not talking about those things common to men (believer and unbeliever alike – sickness, disease, financial hardship, loss of a job, family desertion, etc.). Those things are not necessarily because you name the name of Christ. Plenty of unbelievers suffer from these things. What have you really had to endure for the sake of the gospel? I think that those guys who had it much harder than we did, for the sake of the gospel, had a lot more of a reason to want to take it easy. They had a lot more of a reason to want to slow down and take a rest. But they didn’t. They were not largely concerned with taking a rest now.
The reason why is because they were looking forward to something better. They were looking forward to a greater time of rest. They were looking forward to a greater reward. A city not made with human hands.
Rest is promised for the people of God. But not now. Peace, yes. Joy, yes. Contentment, yes. Rest…no. Rest comes later. It may tarry, but it will come. And I believe that it will be so much sweeter to those who through trial, tribulation and distress have persevered with joy and love for God and the appearance of Christ. Those of us who are lazy and sluggish, quick to seek recreation and rest in this life will not love the appearing of Christ; nor will they truly look forward to His rest. Because they have their fill here, or at least what they think will fill.
You, beloved, “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” whom we “eagerly await [because He will] “transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory” and “let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall…for the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two edged sword and piercing as far tas the division of soul and spirit of both joints and marrow and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do…[and] let us hold fast our confession…for we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are yet without sin…[and] let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (2 Pet 3; Phil 3; Heb 4)
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