In our society, retirement is a common idea. Some employers offer retirement benefits to their employees, whether it be in the form of a pension or matching the employee's contribution to a retirement account. Retirement seems like a reasonable expectation for a lot of people.
Naturally, many people look forward to retirement. It is a time when one no longer has to devote a large part of their waking hours working in order to make a living. There is more time for rest, hobbies, and spending time with family.
While there is nothing wrong with retiring from a job, we must remember that retirement is not an option when it comes to our spiritual responsibilities. We can never “retire” from being Christians. We are told to “be faithful until death” (Revelation 2:10). The Hebrew writer warns us to not “come short” of the promised rest (Hebrews 4:1).
Let us never quit our service to God. Rather, “let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience” (Hebrews 4:11).
Showing posts with label rest. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rest. Show all posts
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Rest for the Weary
"Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28). This is the great invitation offered by Jesus. He offers the invitation and makes the promise to those who will come: "you will find rest for your souls" (Matthew 11:29).
However, we must work in order to receive rest. We must take on His yoke. As a yoke is placed upon the oxen so they do the work their master guides them to do, we must do the work Christ has given us to do. Work precedes rest. And so we must see to it that we are working the "works of God" (John 6:28) so we do not miss out on the promised rest. The Hebrew writer warned, "Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience" (Hebrews 4:11).
Jesus never promised a life of ease and comfort here and now. The promised rest comes after death (Revelation 14:13). We need to continue working as He would have us to and guard against becoming complacent. If we give up at the end and instead of entering into His rest, we "come short of it" (Hebrews 4:1), we will miss out just the same as those who never tried.
"Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest" (Hebrews 4:11) and "let us not grow weary while doing good" (Galatians 6:9).
However, we must work in order to receive rest. We must take on His yoke. As a yoke is placed upon the oxen so they do the work their master guides them to do, we must do the work Christ has given us to do. Work precedes rest. And so we must see to it that we are working the "works of God" (John 6:28) so we do not miss out on the promised rest. The Hebrew writer warned, "Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience" (Hebrews 4:11).
Jesus never promised a life of ease and comfort here and now. The promised rest comes after death (Revelation 14:13). We need to continue working as He would have us to and guard against becoming complacent. If we give up at the end and instead of entering into His rest, we "come short of it" (Hebrews 4:1), we will miss out just the same as those who never tried.
"Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest" (Hebrews 4:11) and "let us not grow weary while doing good" (Galatians 6:9).
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