May the mumbling commence!
God rest you merry gentlemen (and ladies). In the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season, we perhaps need the words of this great carol most. Time is precious, and rest is fleeting. Or is it the other way around? There is rest to be found – if we have the faith to claim it. Read from one of my favorite books of the New Testament – Hebrews, from chapter four:
Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith. Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said,
"So I declared on oath in my anger,
'They shall never enter my rest.'"
And yet his work has been finished since the creation of the world. For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: "And on the seventh day God rested from all his work." And again in the passage above he says, "They shall never enter my rest."
It still remains that some will enter that rest, and those who formerly had the gospel preached to them did not go in, because of their disobedience. Therefore God again set a certain day, calling it Today, when a long time later he spoke through David, as was said before:
"Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts."
For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience. (Verses 1-11)
The rest was there to claim in the days of the Hebrew Bible, but few showed the belief in God to claim that rest. They chose to find their security in other people and things. And we are not so different today. We get our identity and sense of self-worth and security from our families, our jobs, and our possessions.
These things are not bad in and of themselves; but when they impede our belief and faith in God, they become idolatrous. How can we focus more on the Lord? The next verses of chapter four of Hebrews gives us a clear clue: “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart (12).” In this verse, I find my reason for returning to the Scripture again and again. It reveals my thoughts and attitudes – especially when studied with other Christian brothers and sisters.
Then, there is also the Word of God Incarnate – Christ Jesus. Christ and the Spirit of God helps to focus on believing solely on God. The author of Hebrews speaks of Christ as the soul anchor:
We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek. (6:19-20)
With the firm and secure anchor of the Word of God, we can be reassured in our faith walk. Let’s believe and enter the rest that the Lord offers us. Enter the rest even when things seem especially harried. God’s rest does NOT disappear; only our ability to see the rest diminishes.
Enough mumbling for now…
Peace Out
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