My Work Or His?

"Come all who are weary and carrying heavy burdens

and I will give you rest. 

Take my yoke upon you. 

Let me teach you for I am humble and gentle of heart. 

My yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Matthew 11:28-30 

Entering into God's rest. Last night I typed these words into a google search. What does it mean to enter into God's rest? This is where God has called me for months now...to trust and rest. Enter into His rest. Jesus began beckoning me last fall with Matthew 11:28-30...........and this continued on for many weeks when these verses came to me 26 times from 26 different sources. God has been persistent and I am taking it seriously.

Trust and Rest

In my search I discovered that the dictionary defines rest as being at peace, ease, or leaning into. Hmmmm What a beautiful visual....leaning into God's rest. I kept searching beyond Webster's definition. I clicked and read and clicked and read...looking for something special........and then I came across the "answer" portion of a yahoo question.....the same answer I was searching for had been sought after by others and yahoo, of all places, had posted a response that spoke so strongly I had to steady myself inside. An anonymous reply at that. Whoever wrote this response had a deep understanding that came from experience. Written FOUR years ago, in God's timing I came across it today.  Only God!

This mysterious writer shared, "Entering into God's rest is to rest on the finished work of Christ. It is an inward rest ~ a lifestyle of trusting in God's goodness and resting in the finished work on the cross." Believing and receiving. He went on to say, "When I rest He works in me and through me....when I work, God rests and I am left to my own limited resources."
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Because of Jesus' finished work at the cross, we have salvation which includes wholeness, healing, deliverance, protection, and more.  The Greek word Sozo is used and encompasses the whole person.  It is all done for us.  We can rest in it. It is not accomplished by our hands, nor by our works. Jesus already accomplished it all, we need only receive it.  Thank you Jesus...thank you for such a precious gift.

I don't know about you, but I am one who wants to be in charge of when things happen, whether it is plans for my future or healing for my body.  I continually need to return to the Lord my God and trust Him....entering into His rest and getting out of the way so He can fulfill His promises.  I am learning that when I say "Yes, Lord" a big part of that is the trusting and the resting.  Leaning into while entering in.  It reminds me of the chorus of an old hymn

Leaning...........leaning.......

Safe and secure from all alarms

Leaning..........leaning.......

Leaning on His everlasting arms