When I reached Tambunan yesterday for the first time in 18 months as travel restrictions were lifted, I felt such a sense of peace and rest and the Word that came to mind was the verse from a Hebrews 4 “anyone who has entered into His rest has ceased from his own labours just as God entered into His rest and ceased from His labours”. God’s rest refers to the 7th day when He has laboured for 6 days in the creation of the universe. As believers, once we believed in God we have entered in His rest, ceasing from our labours meaning we no longer strive either to become righteous in God’s sight or our labours in this world to make a living. This twin understanding is powerful in that we now serve a living God out of love and free will and not to obtain brownie points or save ourselves from damnation.
No human being can pay for his own ransom and God’s Son is sent in the world precisely to pay the ransom for our sins. Moreover, ceasing from labours in this fallen world is welcome rest and peace. How do we cease from work? Only if we believe in a loving Father in heaven who knows our needs and all powerful to see that all our needs are met. If you seek after His kingdom and righteousness, then all things are added unto you (Matt 6:33). We need no longer to strive and labour for tomorrow or next year or worried about retirement savings because God is able to provide for our needs in our gray hairs provided we believe in Him. No wonder Hebrews 4 makes it clear that those who believed have entered into God’s rest and cease from one’s labours.
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