Hebrews 4:1(NLT)
“God’s promise of entering his rest still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it.”
“Don’t be in such a rush!”, my youngest daughter said to me as I hurried to get her in the car and off to school. On the drive home, after I dropped her off, I thought about what she had said. It’s a warning that God has given so many of us. We are inundated with modern conveniences and more tech gadgets than we ever thought possible. They’ve made many aspects of our lives very convenient, and you’d think we’d have gobs more time, but the truth is that we seem even more hurried. We’re always speeding off somewhere in a hurry, and we don’t take the time to appreciate the wonder of all God has given us.
Our schedules seem busier and we’re moving so fast that weeks and months fly by, and we can scarcely remember how we’ve spent the time. God warns us in Ephesians 5:16 to make the most of our time, because we’re living in an evil age. Throughout His Word, He strongly encourages us to act wisely. In Ephesians 6:13, He instructs us to put on the full armor that He has provided, so that when evil is upon us, we can stand our ground.
God does not sugarcoat the reality that life on earth is nothing to take lightly. He has an incredibly, treacherously evil archenemy, and he will stop at nothing to injure us so that we do not stand strong on God’s Word. When we stand strong in God’s Word, fully covered in God’s armor, we are a force of love and light in this dark world. Things change simply because of our presence when we walk with the authority of Jesus Christ that we’ve been given. The only way to do this is to take authority over our time. We often think we do, but the reality is that we don’t have time to waste. It is indeed a precious commodity.
Hebrews 4:1 warns us about neglecting to enter into God’s rest. The world around us is chaotic and confused, but our lives shouldn’t be. Entering God’s rest means that we’ve transitioned to a place where it is almost as if we’re in a bubble, surrounded by His covering. He doesn’t allow the craziness of the world to touch us, but He allows the love that is operating in our hearts to keep us, and those under our influence, continually in His peace.
In Revelation 3:20(NLT), Jesus Christ said, “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.” Some of us are too busy opening the door to the world and its distractions, and we’re not recognizing it is critical that we spend time with Jesus Christ. We need to change this while we still have opportunity. We must schedule and make time every day to do those spiritual practices that keep us aligned with God’s Will. This includes praying often, reading and studying God’s Word, and meditating on His goodness. God’s business must become a priority in our lives. When it is, we will continue to become stronger spiritually. We won’t be rattled or obsessing over worldly distractions, but we will be wrapped in God’s loving care as we are committed to remain in His rest. ♦
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
“Remain in God’s Rest”, written by Kim Times, edited by Reverend Fran Mack, for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2021. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! SMS is dedicated to inspiring and encouraging Christian Women through the Word of God.