Entering into Rest

Entering into Rest

Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.

                                                                                                …Hebrews 4:1

            In Pouso Alegre, Brazil, the man on the sidewalk in front of the bakery caught my eye.  The huge open wound made me turn my head as nausea became apparent; the desired effect from the beggar.  Inside the bakery I asked about this man.  I was told he scraped his wound daily to gain more sympathy; for more money to be slipped into his bucket of change.  Every day this was the routine, a fresh looking wound for the public to see; becoming a part of the daily scene.

            Did he not fear of losing his leg, or worse, his life?  Eventually the man nearly always slightly in a drunken state, lost his leg to gangrene; all because of the sound of money in the bucket.  Many doctors of the town would have helped this man, but the drinking took over his mind, and greed followed.

            Scraping wounds was common to me.  Maybe that is why I became nauseated so.  Then I hit rock bottom and like the man, held out my bucket for sympathy, but no one gave heed.  Having no rest from the enter turmoil for so many years, I was tired, and it showed in my attitude. I knew true rest in Jesus, but just didn’t claim it.  Just like the man, the Great Physician stood there with the solution, but I refused and went about my way.

            The rest here and now, I couldn’t enjoy.  It was there all the time.  Was I waiting for rest in heaven one day?  Did I not realize rest from this weary world started the day I asked Christ to save me?  I am no better than the Children of Israel refusing rest, and walking the desert for 40 years lost. I kept scraping my wounds, which left me no room for rest or celebrating much. 

            At forty years of age, I began to live as God had intended me to live, but only when I decided to give my hurts and open wounds over to him to heal.  Wow! Does it feel good to rest in God’s open arms!  Come try it and let the wounds begin to heal, and don’t wait as long as I did.  Come into His rest!

Father,

Thank you for bringing me back to find complete rest.  What a difference I feel. I give you my hurts and disappointments over to you as I gain new ones in this life; it is inevitable.  Give me rest, your rest in the here and now.  In Jesus name I pray.