Rest
And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Exodus 33:14
Let’s begin with what the Bible says about rest.
Exodus 20:8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Exodus 33:14 And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
Psalm 4:8 In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety.
Psalm 127:2 It is vain for you to rise up early, To sit up late, To eat the bread of sorrows; For so He gives His beloved sleep.
Proverbs 3:23-26 23 Then you will walk safely in your way, And your foot will not stumble. 24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid; Yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet. 25 Do not be afraid of sudden terror, Nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes; 26 For the Lord will be your confidence, And will keep your foot from being caught.
Matthew 11:28-30 28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am [a]gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
Hebrews 4:9-11 9 There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. 10 For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.
The Word Discovers Our Condition
11 Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.
In most modern countries, the system in place socializes people into believing that rest is something earned. However, throughout the Bible, rest is viewed as a divine right, even a matter of obedience to God.
At the time of this writing, the U.S. government is shut down (most government employees are unpaid, and there is an increased risk of food insecurity because food assistance programs are unfunded), a ceasefire has been reached in a Middle Eastern conflict, and many private-sector workers have been laid off.
The current state of affairs highlights how the world system inverts the way the Kingdom of God operates.
Recently, on a popular finance podcast, one of the guests was a woman over 50 years old discussing how she divorced her husband when she learned of his financial infidelity (he opened a credit card in her name behind her back and had been taking cash advances; at which point she discovered that he had over $100k in credit card debt due to a gambling addiction and womanizing). As the host questioned her further, the guest revealed that she had been taking weekends away from home over the years to find reprieve from the demands of her work during the week and her duties as a wife and mother. She realized that she had been escaping her life. As she spoke, something that stood out was that she had no rest. She went on to share that attempting to date later in life highlighted that she had settled when she had chosen her husband early in life. Like many people, she was nudged to make things work with whoever was available (demonstrating a lack of faith and discernment) vs. waiting on God. Later in the interview, she shared her spiritual practice, which was not The Way (Jesus Christ), and John 10:8 came to mind.
John 10:8 All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.
This verse says something significant because it speaks to the reality that idols, any created thing we elevate above God, always take what is already ours and give it back (robbers and thieves) in exchange for worship (idolatry). Meanwhile, the one true God is both the giver and the gift, only asking that we have faith and operate in love (see Psalm 50:14-15). The Bible warns us over and over to NEVER bow to created things. In this context, a ‘created thing’ could be a particular lifestyle, image, perceived status, or actual graven image that the first and second of the 10 commands (see Deuteronomy 5:7-9) warn against.
God admonishes us to rest, even while doing and being productive. Rest is not about being excessively passive and lazy (see Proverbs 19:15); this requirement reinforces the idea of being anxious for nothing. Move in purpose (see Colossians 3:23), be a good steward of our resources, diligent in our responsibilities (see Proverbs 10:4), and trust God in all matters.
So, the next time there is a disruption, disappointment, perceived rejection, or need, choose God’s way. Rest, relax, and report back your miracle, for it is all for God’s glory. Be still and know that God is sovereign.
Dear God,
Thank You for the great fortune of being in Your rest! Thank You for increasing my confidence in Your faithfulness in meeting my every need as Your child. Thank You that my discernment is sharpened in identifying situations and circumstances that test Your word, Your will, and Your way. Thank You for Your grace and mercy.
In Your Holy and matchless Name, Amen.