Christian Living

The Lord's concept of Rest

by Precieux Orhue
12/18/15
Free to Share
Author requests article critique

  Message Writer
  Hire Writer

Tweet

“Come to me, all of you who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest.” – Matthew 11:28 (GNB).

In a very demanding world that is full of strife and too much for us to bear alone, God gives us a very simple yet perfect and all-encompassing solution. Rest. With this word, the first thoughts that may come to mind range from a nice long undisrupted nap to (probably) a vacation at a holiday resort. All of these are fantastic and often recommended once in a while, but the kind of rest God refers to and desires us to understand and embrace, transcends any other kind the world could ever offer.

In the old testament when God commanded the Israelites to keep the Sabbath holy (Exodus 20:8-11; 31:12-16), it was a mandate, as they were under the law. Their justification was based on their ability to abide by them (as opposed to this dispensation where all has been fulfilled by Jesus). In a more vital context, the Lord was introducing a concept of rest to His people, and He clearly states the purpose for this.

“This will be a sign between Me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the Lord, who makes you holy” - Exodus 31:13

In essence, God required them to observe rest, not because their justification was a function of the said rest, but because justification and holiness comes from God alone and observing rest is an acknowledgment of this. It also considerably applies to this dispensation where our minds often incline to the ideology that by our constant pursuit, we can make things right with the world and with God. In every bid to put things right, or make ends meet, whether in our day-to-day activities, career-wise or in our relationships, God wants us to understand that any breakthrough of any kind or success comes from Him only (James 1:17). After all, if it were really according to who puts in the best efforts, those who work incessantly should obviously be more successful in every ramifications, but this is not so.  I am not opposed to diligence and hard-work (in fact, I wore these words as a school badge in my childhood – it was the motto of my primary school), but in spite of all of this, we must acknowledge that productivity and success comes from God.

This concept of rest does not only apply to our everyday life, but also in our relationship with the Lord. When we look to the gift of His son (Jesus) who justifies us, we are then at peace with God (Romans 5:1). We are reconciled to God by the sacrifice of Jesus, and when we constantly acknowledge Him (Jesus) as the author and finisher of our faith, we observe the rest which God talks about and are constantly refreshed for greater works. Solomon, the wisest and richest king of old (who demonstrated total dependence on God for favor in his youth), wrote this beautiful proverb:

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” – Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)

 All things we could ever desire or ask for, material or abstract, are held together in Jesus, and without Him, none was made (Colossians 1:16). This is why God wants us to completely look to His beloved son.

I find it amazing that God partook in this same rest He has talked about from the times of old. “…for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day, He rested and was refreshed” – Exodus 31:17 NIV. God created the heavens and the earth through His son, Jesus. The bible says He was there in the beginning and created all things, and holds all things together, seen and unseen (Colossians 1:16). So, after the creation, God saw and acknowledged the work of His son that it was good, and then God rested! It is established that God never grows weary because He is almighty, but I believe that He loves to be refreshed, and that is why He acknowledges His son, even from the very beginning, to His baptism in the Jordan and His transfiguration on the mountain when He walked the earth as a man (Matthew 3:16-17; 17:5), to the present time when He sits exalted at His side with a name above all (Philippians 2:9). It is Jesus’ every desire to grant us that rest which we may so dearly seek in the wrong places. He calls us to come to Him – with all burden, and He promises to give us rest (Matthew 11:28).