The Rest That God Promised

Today's scripture reading is from Hebrews 4:1-5, 11. Starting from verse 1,

"Therefore while the promise (epangelia) of entering (eiserchomai) his rest (katapausis) is still open (kataleipō), · let us fear (phobeomai) lest any one of you may seem to be excluded from (hystereō) it."

It's interesting that just last evening at the CMDA (Christian Medical and Dental Association) meeting, the discussion was around the subject of managing our spiritual and emotional health through the training, and subsequently, the practice of medicine. The speaker drew from the ideas of "seasons of change" from the book of Ecclesiastes 3 "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven...", and from a book he was reading - "Living Life Backward: How Ecclesiastes Teaches Us to Live in Light of the End".

He pointed out that one would go through a bit of a roller coaster ride of balancing the physical and mental demands of the training and the demand of the practice. When he felt that his spiritual life was taking a bit of a dive trying to balance the needs of his family and his demanding schedule, there was a sense that it was just the "season" he was going through, and that maybe time would be better in the future.

It generated a range of lively discussions. Some would agree that we needed to take care of ourselves first. Others emphasized the need to put God first, at all time. One pointed out in particular that God designed "Sabbath" for a reason and we needed to pay attention to it. 

I learned a few things from the Hebrews scripture passage today:

• God gave us a promise (epangelia  = annunciation, see also 2Timothy 1:1) of entering his rest (katapausis = Requiem in Latin, i.e. a funeral Mass!)
• We should fear (phobeomai = to fear reverentially) that we may be excluded from it
• Those who hear but do not believe in it are the ones excluded "For indeed the good news came to us (evangelism) just as to them; but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened" verse 2.
• “They shall not enter my rest.” - yes, God said it twice here, once with a righteous anger! Yes, we should fear!
• Not living out our faith is acting in disobedience. "Let us therefore make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one may fall through such disobedience as theirs" verse 11.

We go through different phases in our life but one thing is consistently clear from reading scriptures. We have received a great promise. Through Christ's birth, death, and resurrection we are promised eternal life with God. That is the rest that God promised.  "But the one who endures to the end will be saved" Matthew 24:13. This verse also popped into my head: "Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for you reap whatever you sow" Galatians 6:7. That's why Christian discipline is so important to take us there.