In the busyness of our daily lives, rest can seem like an impossible endeavor, something we’ll enjoy “someday” when all our tasks are complete. Until then, the consensus is to continue to strive and continue at the pace of life we’re used to. Yet, as I look around, I see more and more people filled with worry and stress, and lacking peace. We need rest; we must take the Sabbath seriously. The writer of Hebrews reminds us that the promise of entering God’s rest still stands today. This rest isn't merely physical relaxation but a deep peace found only in God.
The passage points out that even though the Israelites heard the good news, they failed to enter God’s rest because of disobedience. Their hearts were hardened, preventing them from experiencing the fullness of God’s peace. Similarly, we can become so caught up in our own efforts and worries that we miss the rest God offers us. The rest of which our sacred texts speak is found in Him through faith and obedience. We are to surrender our striving and trust in God’s finished work. Just as God rested on the seventh day of creation, we are invited to rest in Him, knowing He holds everything in His hands.
But how do we enter into this rest?
We begin with a decision to trust God completely, to release our burdens into His capable hands. We cease from our work, understanding that our efforts alone cannot bring true peace. Instead, we rely on God's grace and provision, allowing His presence to fill us with peace and assurance.
This rest isn’t reserved for some distant future; it’s available today. As the writer of Hebrews says, “There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works.” We can experience God’s rest here and now by daily surrendering to Him; all the while, we are, in essence, ceasing from trying to be God.
The Sabbath is a foretaste of the eternal rest we will experience with God for all eternity. Just as the Sabbath was a day of rest and rejuvenation, our eternal rest in God will be a time of perfect peace and communion with Him. So let us make every effort to enter into God’s rest today, knowing that it is a glimpse of the future awaiting us—a future where we will dwell in God’s presence forevermore, enjoying uninterrupted rest and peace.