◄ What Does Hebrews 4:11 Mean? ►

Because of disobedience and unbelief, the children of Israel did not enter into the rest that God had promised them. They treated the promises of God with disdain and paid little heed to His Word. Today, like them, we are called to give diligence to enter into God's rest, but we are also warned not to go astray in our hearts, as they did.

When we first trusted Christ as Saviour we received 'salvation rest', but as children of God we are instructed into an 'abiding rest', a 'living rest', a 'submissive rest'. We are not to drift through our Christian life in a careless and carnal way, but rather we are to give close attention to entering into God's rest by resisting temptation, by listening to His truth, by applying His Word, submitting to the Holy Spirit, and by being utterly dependent upon our Lord Jesus Christ.

The rest which we are to give diligence to enter into, is not our home in heaven - for that is a free gift of grace to all who trust in Christ as Saviour. The rest into which we are exhorted to enter is a rest which we can experience today. Christ is our rest, and we are called to give diligence to enter into that rest - today.

We are called to remain in Him, to abide in Him, to rest in Him, to submit to Him, to depend utterly and entirely upon Him. At salvation, we received peace WITH God. However, throughout our life on earth, we are able to receive the peace OF God, which passes all understanding.

The peace of God will guide our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, if we abide in Him, rest in Him, submit to Him, and utterly depend upon Him.

Heavenly Father, thank You that Jesus is my rest. I pray that I may learn to abide in Him, moment by moment, to rest in Him each and every day, to submit to His leading and guiding, and to depend utterly upon Him from this day forward. In Jesus' name, AMEN.