Rest is experiencing God’s presence, goodness, and trusting in our Creator-King. We do this by setting time apart with a new rhythm of stopping and delighting.

This can happen throughout the day, this can begin to form in you a rhythm of taking a day, a Sabbath. Where do you need to start shifting from restlessness to God rest?

Hebrews 4:9-11- 9 There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10 for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. 11 Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.

This entire passage is loaded. But do you notice how the author is getting our attention? We still need a Sabbath-rest, we enter his rest, which means we rest from our work, JUST AS God did. Notice the next part, make every effort to enter that rest. You need to make the effort to rest.

Then he refers to the Israelites who disobeyed and refused to enter the rest and it cost them.

Folks, it is a matter of wisdom, not law, that Christ followers agree set aside a day to stop and delight in God’s presence and trusting his goodness.

How do you need to make an effort to enter his rest?

Restlessness within, stop what you are doing seek his presence or council.

Maybe life is too much right now, but setting apart an hour or 4 hours on a Saturday or Sunday to stop, delight. Experience his presence through worship, prayer, reading, going in
nature, enjoying good food, better company. Turning off the phone or the TV, social media, taking a nap, idling down.

What are the things that cause restlessness or suck the life out of you and go to the one who breathes life into you.

I’m going to share the song Psalm 23 by Shane and Shane, notice the beautiful invitation and command to rest.

“The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul…”

That is rest and that is what God gave us on the seventh day, not because he needed it, but because he knew we would need it.