Faith leading us into God's Rest (Friday, Week 1, Year 1)

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A friend of mine once complained that his head was spinning, his thoughts hazy, his mind a bit blank and his eyes dull! He was afraid that something terrible was about to happen to him. He thought that taking some medicine would be of help. But I rather suggested, “Take a nap first! Have some rest!” He did as I suggested. After an hour's nap, all those bodily/mental disturbances ceased. It was then that it dawned on him that REST is more therapeutic than he had earlier thought. It became clear to him that not having enough rest is an invitation to early death. This illustration may help us understand why it is also very important to make effort to enter and relish “God’s REST”.

Thus, it was a piece of bad news for the people of Israel when God swore in His anger that “they shall never enter His REST” (cf. Ps. 95:11). The pronouncement was made within the context of their desert wanderings as they journeyed to the Promised Land. Within that context, the Promised Land was the Land of Canaan, that PLACE OF REST which they all longed for. The journey to that land was not as easy as they might have thought.

Worst still, their inability to remember the good deeds of God made them doubt that God has the ultimate power to lead them into that Promised Land. That's why they murmured; they complained and wished to be taken back to Egypt. Their FORGETFULNESS and their consequent LACK OF FAITH in God disqualified some of them from entering into the Promised Land, into that PLACE OF REST which God promised them.

What does "ENTRY INTO GOD’S REST" mean to us? Temporally, ENTERING INTO AND ENJOYING GOD'S REST may be in the form of blessings of inner peace, relaxed conscience, material satisfaction/contentment, and so on. Eternally, we may understand it as our final entry into the peaceful and joyful rest of the heavenly kingdom.

We cannot deny the fact that from time to time, we might have done certain things that are capable of preventing us from ENTERING GOD’S REST. Often, we easily forget God’s past deeds and choose lifestyles that can throw us into some emotional and spiritual turmoil, paralysis, regrets and restlessness. To this end, the Letter to the Hebrews reminds and exhorts us that “while the promise of entering God’s REST remains, let us fear lest any of us be judged to have failed to reach it” (cf. Heb. 4:1).

It is only that sin makes us feel uneasy and restless spiritually. Sin has the capacity to shut us out of God’s rest. Sin can deny us of temporal and eternal peace or rest. Sin can make us mentally fragmented. Sin can do so much more harm and damage than we have ever imagined or thought of. The good news is that we have someone who has the power and authority to forgive sins (cf. Mk 2:10): and that person is Jesus. With repentant and remorseful hearts, let us always remember to submit to Him that we may always be made whole in order to qualify to enter God’s REST now and on the last day!

Prayer:
May we never suffer the tortures of spiritual restlessness, boredom, lethargy and emptiness. May we always strive by words, deeds and thoughts to enter God's REST, Amen!

Have a blessed day!


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