the rest of your life

Hebrews 4: ¹ Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. ² For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. ³ For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said:
     " So I swore in My wrath, They shall not enter My rest,'"

   although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. ⁴ For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way: "And God rested on the seventh day from all His works"; ⁵ and again in this place: "They shall not enter My rest."
⁶ Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience, ⁷ again He designates a certain day, saying in David, "Today," after such a long time, as it has been said: 
      " Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts

 

I remember driving past one of the familiar franchise hotels years ago.  It featured a sign with various offers and marketing blurbs out front.  On this day, the sign stated an imperative: "Stop here for the rest of your life."  It was a clever "mind catcher" and I don't think many folks really thought the hotel expected them to check in for the balance of their days.  Clever phrases make for effective sales, but there is a place that you can stay for the rest of your life that will also provide the deepest and most lasting rest for your life.  We know that God rested on the seventh day of Creation.  This morning, as I was reading Hebrews chapter 4, I was reminded that even though God rested when He reached that final day, we don't automatically enter that rest just because we are part of His Creation.  Just as the Hebrew people failed to enter God's rest of the promised land through unbelief and lack of trust...when He had delivered them from Egypt...so we can fail to trust Him with our lives and trust Him for His promises and so fail to enter the rest of eternal life.  In a sense, the sign that the Lord holds up for us all is "Stop here for the rest of your life".  But He doesn't mean to pause for a night...He means to come out of the night and rest in Him. 

 

Hebrews 4:¹⁰ For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.

 

blessings,

Rob Smith