The Glory of His Rest

Is.40:28-31 - Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.
29 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.
30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:
31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

There is a place of rest for the believer. I must confess, I have been in and out of it in the 36 years I have known Christ, and being in the place of rest is infinitely better. But just how can we enter that place of divine rest and recline under the shadow of His wings?

Heb.4:9-10 - There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.

When was the last time you experienced a rest, a peace, that surpassed all earthly imposters and in fact surpassed all earthly knowledge? Of course that rest is found in Jesus, but it goes beyond just the simple act of saving faith. This rest begins with salvation, but it intensifies as we learn of Him and surrender to Him as well. But so often we are prisoners of the now, and of the temporal, and of the earthly, and as the verse indicates we are focused upon our own works instead of Him and His finished labor.

No one can add or detract from Christ and His redemptive work. We as sinners must either believe on Him fully, or reject Him fully. The middle ground is rejection as well. But why do we fret when we have been born again and been made partakers of the heavenly calling? We who have been granted eternal life and whose life is safe with God in Christ, why would we worry or get caught up with the fallen things of this world?

The answer is simple. We have taken our eyes and hearts off of the Lord Jesus and have allowed them to wander about and do some fallen window shopping. We live in a somewhat controlled anarchy that makes room for all sorts of sin and creates religions and religious institutions that in effect replace the Risen Christ and offer redemption through human intellect, human works, and spiritual superstition. But there is a rest for those Jesus-pilgrims who still fly with the wings of eagles in a glorious sky invisible to the fallen eye.

Had Christ not drawn me to Himself I am sure I would have been either dead or in prison. As it is I abide in the majesty of His love, and I am imprisoned by His matchless grace! To know Him, oh just to know Him is beyond words. But this spiritual experience of our spiritual reality does not come without seeking. The presence of Christ, although doctrinally everywhere, is not fully realized by the individual believer without sacrifice. So while we walk under the weight of this world and offer little quality time with our Savior we can be assured we are missing an abundance of unspeakable joy and peace.

When was the last time you spent one entire hour just dwelling in His presence, praying, abiding in His Word, and meditating upon His glory? And yet we spend many hours doing things that profit little in the natural, to say nothing of the Spirit. Do we desire rest for our souls? We will find it in Him and Him alone. This is not positive thinking. This is not eastern mysticism. This is not mind control. This is the Sabbath rest now found eternally in a Person.

And as we live in the midst of darkened chaos our souls search for rest. But the church has lost the practice of finding rest in Jesus Christ other than a promised ticket to heaven. But still the Spirit beckons us with words that cannot be uttered. But our ears are inclined to the sirens of this world, and so many times those who profess Christ end up upon the rocks. Shipwrecked, alone, devastated, and with a lost sense of the Spirit. They have become weary in well doing and have surrendered to their own flesh.

But oh the glory they have missed! We have become so bound to this earth, and so enthralled with the “how to” lifestyle, and so enamored with earthly prosperity and success, that we have left Mary’s place of worship found at His feet and have found contentment in Martha’s kitchen. Look at the clean dishes; look at the washed pots; look at the polished sink; and watch as we sweep the floor. Are you impressed?

Oh but look at His face; listen to His words; experience the wonder of His presence; and dwell in the grace of His eternal redemption. How can that be compared with human works and activity? Have we traded our birthright for some pragmatic pottage? Do the pressing needs of the temporal crowd out the Spirit’s call to “come and dine”? If so, where did the ax head fall and how can we recover what we have lost?

Seek Him with your whole heart.

Ps.27

1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.
3 Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.
4 One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.
5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.
6 And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD.
7 Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.
8 When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.
9 Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.
10 When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.
11 Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.
12 Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.
13 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
14 Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.