Just Be

There is a rest that can only come from God.  The world seeks and strives after this rest calling it  "Peace."  We sing of it.  We send wishes of it out in brightly adorned Christmas cards.  We hold up two fingers symbolizing the sought after prize.  We even buy our children clothes with a sign representing the longing inside us all.  However, the world is not capable of entering this divine peace or rest.  There is only one Door that leads to this elevated goal; and only one Entrance that was birthed in a manager on a silent night over two thousand years ago.  

Hebrews Chapter 4 starts with, "Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it."

In God's Word there is a promise of entering His rest.  However, in the world of hustle and bustle and deadlines and duties, how do we achieve this internal rest and why do we fall short of it?

One answer is found in the very sentence I wrote above.  Achieve.  We think we have to do something to achieve rest.  We think we have to do actions such as read our Bible more or pray more or listen to more sermons or live better or act more Christ-like.  All of these are good habits, but no amount of doing will ever usher us into the peace of His presence.

"For we who have believed do enter that rest..."  Hebrews 4:3  

Believe.  The first part of the word "believe" is "be".  We enter that rest first by believing in the Savior sent in the form of a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, and then we enter a deeper peace and rest by being.

"For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His." 
Hebrews 4:10

No amount of works can help us enter the rest of God.  

"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast."  Ephesians 2:8-9

Our Pastor says often that we are to "Know, Be, Do".  First, Know Him.  Second, Be with Him.  And the Doing comes as a result of knowing and being with Him.  He also relates this to a prayer he prays often...

"Lord, help me know what you want me to know, be who you want me to be, and do what you want me to do."

So many times I think we focus on the "doing" because that is measurable.  We need to focus on knowing Him and being with Him and then the "doing" is a natural byproduct.

Right now as we enter 2014, many are setting goals and I am just beginning to think about mine.  I think one goal worth setting this year is to just "be" more, to "be" with my Savior more and basque in His love and presence.  Rest.  Beautiful Peace of His presence.  Be.

I want to enter His rest.  How about you?  Have you been experiencing His rest?  Just "Be".