22 Dec When We Rest, He Works
The whole work and rest thing is a not just about physical work and physical rest, but about other types of work too. For example striving, even if in the mind and heart, is a type of work. And faith, trusting in Jesus, is a type of rest. So when we enter into our rest as the writer of the Hebrews describes, we are entering into Christ by faith.
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. Hebrews 4:1
If we strive to be good enough for God, we are left in the position of having to work for salvation, a challenge too impossible to be achieved. But once we trust him, our hearts rest in Christ, and we find strangely that grace is present to overcome sin. And another thing, grace is present to want to do things for him.
But another similarity exists as well… and it has to do with the work we do for Christ.
When we work for Christ, for example if we are witnessing and trying to share the gospel, or if we pray for others looking for their healing, if we think that the results are dependant on our effort… we come up empty handed.
We simply cannot save people, or heal them, it is God who does that.
But at the same time we must make an effort. We must do the actual witnessing, and do the actual praying. We must actually care.
So is something out of kilter here between work and rest? No, not at all.
Rather we do the work with a heart of love, but our heart rests in the outcome, expecting God to do that. Paul said it in these simple words in 1 Corinthians 3:6 saying, ‘I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.’ So the results are up to God. We still work and do what we are able to do, but we also rest by trusting that God will use our work.
So in a funny kind of way, when we rest, He works.
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