Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Blissful Rest

Focus verses: Hebrews 4:1-10

When I was a child, my sainted grandmother used to say "there's no rest for the wicked." Only later did I realize that she was echoing scripture.

But there is rest in obedience to God. If you take in context the verse that says
"So I declared on oath in my anger,
'They shall never enter my rest.'"
You will see that he is talking about the Israelites coming out of Egypt. But you can extrapolate that to mean any person who grumbles and is dissatisfied with what God is doing for them.

God's plan is for every one to come to a saving knowledge of Christ, to learn from Him, and to be obedient to Him.

Jesus Himself invites us to be yoke-fellows with Him.

My grandfather had a small plot of land, but it was too big for him to till with the large wheeled, walk-behind-and-push plow that he used on smaller areas. So he hired a neighbor with a pair of horses. I used to watch them. The horses were perfectly matched, in size, in color, in age -- but not in temperament. The horse on the left was always impatient. When the driver picked up the reins, and clucked, the left horse lunged ahead, while the horse on the right stepped slowly and methodically just after the left horse lunged.

When I asked him about it, our neighbor explained that in every span of horses, there is a starter and a carrier. Dancer on the left always moved first, but after he had started the load, Dobbin on the right carried it to the end. Dancer was just along for the ride, striding in unison with Dobbin.

When we are obedient to Christ, we are like that brace of horses. We move first by coming to Christ. Then He carries our load, and all we need to do is match His steps. We are just along for the ride.

We have rested from "our own" work and begun to step along-side Christ in His work.

Father, God,

Still our hearts to hear Your words. Teach us to walk with You as some of the patriarchs did. Help us to rest in Your provision by our obedience to Your will in all things.
In Jesus' most precious name.
Amen.

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