Striving For Rest

Hebrews 4:9-11, "So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience."

Striving to enter rest seems like a paradox. Does it take diligent effort to rest? Yes- in the meaning of this passage we are being taught to strive for holiness that we may prove our faith. We want to enter into God's rest (Heaven) where His beautiful creation will be restored and renovated to perfection. Sin and all the effects of the Fall will be destroyed.

Christians are saved through faith in Christ. It is this faith alone which justifies us before a holy God. But as the Protestant reformers often said, "It is faith alone which justifies, but the faith which justifies is not alone." Good works follow true faith just as Fall follows Summer.

I also believe that we need to strive to obtain proper rest on earth. My thoughts on this issue were sparked by a recent sermon that Neil Tomba at Northwest Bible in Dallas gave. He talked about how our hearts are not quiet before God and that meditation and rest are lost arts. Americans are sleeping less each year. But surprisingly this is not due to working longer hours. The American work week is shrinking. The culprit for a lack of rest is how we invest our leisure time.

I was convicted by the sermon to make some changes in my own life and try to impose those changes on my family. I typically sleep 6-7 hours per day. My work schedule is usually 7am-6pm with some lunch basketball games and work-outs a few days per week. At night, I had fallen into the bad habit of trying to get work done on my laptop computer while my wife and two year old watch television. I would play with my son but my attention was diverted.

This rut led to "working" after the family had gone to sleep. But often this working was not focused because I would keep the television on and watch sports. Or I would surf the internet for news or sports related information. So my new goal is to fast from all technology starting at 6pm every night at least during the week. My wife is in agreement.

I have only done this for a few days, but wow what a difference it has already made. I feel more rested. My mind is sharper throughout the day because I am going to bed earlier. We are spending the time reading at night versus watching television- recording "can't-miss" shows. We often don't realize the noise that we allow into our lives that impedes rest.

The light bulb has been one of the greatest inventions in history. But we have turned it into one of the worst. It has made our lives easier and more productive. But it has also choked out quiet and rest. God designed our bodies to be tired at night- releasing melatonin- and more alert during the day- releasing seratonin. Randy Frazee says we should pattern our lives off of the Hebrew Day Planner. 6am-6pm is designed for productivity/work. 6pm-6am is designed for relationships and rest. Frazee writes about this in length in Making Room For Life.

One of the definitions of rest is: relief or freedom from noise or disturbance. I believe we were designed to have longer periods of this relief and freedom than we often allow ourselves.

Looking Forward to the Eternal Rest,

Ashley Hodge