Rest

In Hebrews 4:1 we read, "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." Just as the inheritance of the Israelites in Joshua's day was the land which was to them rest. They still had war but they were in the land and they were free. Our rest is found in Jesus Christ. He said, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28 We are told that we are to rest from our own work yet we are to make every effort to enter that rest. God had given the Israelites the land but they still had to fight for it. We too are given a rest in Jesus Christ but we still have to make the effort. So what is the effort? It certainly isn't to earn that rest as it has been paid for already. Our effort is not to sacrifice that rest by disobedience. It is not that we are giving up our salvation but we are giving up the rest we have in Him. Does this sound confusing? It is one of the paradoxes of the Christian life. The rest is ours. We do not have to earn it. We must make every effort to enter into it.