Rest...

Hebrews 4:11
Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.

The rest offered us in Jesus Christ is so much greater than the rest offered to Israel in the Old Testament. Their Sabbath was a day and even Jubilee only a year (Leviticus 25) but the rest awarded those who know Jesus us eternal and perfect. we therefore must be diligent to enter that rest by genuine faith. The diligence spoken of here is not about works or effort but about enduring faith. We are to resist doubtful, callous, indifferent, apathetic, fruitless faith (which is no faith at all) by focusing on the written Word of God for instruction (Heb. 4:12) and the Word of God made flesh for inspiration (Heb. 4:14-15). When we focus on Jesus and His Word we find hope and grace and mercy to help us in our time of need to diligently enter that rest. If we lose sight of Jesus or turn our eyes away from His Word we, like the Israelites, will wander aimlessly and miss His rest.

Father - give me eyes for You and Your Word. Let me diligently focus on You and find the fullness of Your promised rest at the end of this life. Until then, may I work diligently to help others discover that same rest. Amen.