The writer to the Hebrews states, in Hebrews 4:7, "Today, when you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts." NIV. There are a lot of voices talking today. The airwaves, internet, social media, television and radio are filled with more voices than ever before. This writing competes for your attention, with all the voices out there. The fact that you are reading this, and not something else, is not by chance. "Today, when your hear His voice, do not harden your hearts."
Whose voice are we talking about? Not the politician, or the actor, or the athlete, or the singer, and not this writer. The voice you are implored to hear is the voice of the Lord God, almighty.
Like the song says, "God Is." He is God and He is calling you to enter His rest. What is His rest? It is obedience and faith in Him. We all need rest. Rest from our chores, rest from our work, rest from our responsibilities, rest from our heartache, rest from our pain, and rest from our fears. As we trust in Him, in obedience, we enter His rest. He made a way from the foundation of the world for us to enter His rest, obedience in Him. Genesis 2:1-2 reminds us that God rested from His work. This was not a rest of fatigue, but a rest of invitation for us to enter His rest. The Sabbath rest not only reminds us to rest from our toils and labor, it reminds us that by obedience, we enter His rest. His rest is the promise of our salvation. His rest is the promise of His kingdom come. His rest, is the promise of the new Jerusalem. (Rev. 21:1-2). His rest, is the promised land.
As the children of Israel wandered through the desert, on their journey from Egypt to Canaan Land, their faith in God failed them. A short journey of faith, became a 40 year trek of disobedience. They had the objective of entering the promised land, but they had not faith in the one who made the promise. The had the Law and the tablets, but they had not faith in the lawgiver. They had the hope of resting in the land of promise, but because of their disobedience, they continued in their restless wanderings for 40 years.
Today, God is calling you from wandering in the desert of sin and disobedience. The promise land is just on the other side of Jordan, just over the mountain, but we cannot see it, we cannot claim it because of our faithlessness and disobedience.
"There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God. For anyone who enters God's rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. Let us there make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience" (Heb.4:9-11) NIV.
We enter God's rest by faith in His Word, and not in our works. We enter God's rest by faith in Him, and not in ourselves. We enter God's rest by hearing his voice, and not the voices of the enemy. We are called from our wandering in sin, to salvation in Him. Salvation in Him, is rest is His kingdom, Salvation in Him is rest in His arms, Salvation in Him is rest in His Power and His Glory
"Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts." (Heb. 4:6 NIV). Enter His rest.
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