We were made to work. Before Adam and Eve sinned in Genesis 3 God called them to work.
Genesis 2:15 “The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.”
In the past, I believed Adam and Eve lived in paradise with the Lord and rested. However, Adam and Eve were in the garden with the Lord working and tending to it. But God also gives us an example of rest at the beginning as well.
Genesis 2:2 ” And on the seventh day God finished his work that He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all his work that He had done.”
The Lord made us to work, but HE also made us to rest.
Many people spend their week working but hoping the weekend comes quickly so they can stop, relax, and rest. When something difficult happens we find ourselves saying, “Is it Friday yet?”. Then the weekend comes and there is the dread of the coming Monday.
But what does rest look like in the kingdom of God? Well, it looks different than what the world offers. It is a rest that we can experience in every moment of our day.
Hebrews 4:1 “Therefore, while the promise of entering His rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it.”
There is a promise of rest that the Lord offers us now. The Greek word for “rest” in this scripture is “katapausis” and part of the meaning is, “calming of the winds “. This isn’t necessarily the kind of rest where we stop and sit in the recliner with a cup of coffee. It actually is a rest that we can experience right now no matter what we are doing, no matter what is going on. It is a rest we only find in a relationship with Jesus Christ. It comes when we hear HIS voice and believe. It is a rest that calms the storms within us.
In the previous chapter in Hebrews 3 it is describing the events from Numbers 13 & 14 where God had promised Israel the land of Canaan but when they saw the giants in the land they were afraid and wanted to return to Egypt. They were afraid and stopped believing God’s promise. They believed the giants in the land were bigger than God and HIS promises. So they failed to enter HIS rest.
Hebrews 3:19 “So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.”
But right now there is a promise of rest. If you are living and breathing today there is a promise for us to be able to enter into HIS rest and it is available to those who hear HIS voice and believe. It is available today to those who hear HIS voice and do not harden their hearts (Hebrews 4:7). It is the same voice that calmed the storm in Mark 4:39, “…Peace! Be still!…”
Jesus gives us an example in Mark 4 before HE calms the storm. They are in a boat, the winds are blowing, the boat is filling, and what is Jesus doing? HE was asleep. In all of the chaos Jesus was resting and trusting the Father.
Does it seem like this rest is missing from your life? Are you anxious, worried, uncertain, or afraid? Does the storm rage while you hang on for dear life? Well that’s not what the Lord has for you. Ask the Lord to soften your heart so you can hear and receive HIS words. We all want breakthrough in our lives but are we willing to believe Him now? No miracle or breakthrough will cause us to believe and walk in this rest. This rest comes when we see and believe in Jesus’ finished work on the cross. Trust and believe HIM now. That storm, that giant is not bigger than our God. Don’t allow the storms of this life to steal the rest HE has for you.
–Heath Smathers
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