February 20

“There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work… Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest…” —HEBREWS 4:9-11

I love this word “rest” as presented in Scripture – “resting in the sufficiency of God”. Many people today in their endeavours to serve God are struggling under needless pressure. Instead of entering into God’s rest, they’re living in a frantic self-effort of trying to accomplish what only God can accomplish. 

There is a rest God provides for us, and this rest is revealed in Scripture throughout the entire history of Israel. Many times the Hebrew people turned away from God, and suffered the consequences of their sin and rebellion. They fell into oppression again and again, but every time they turned back to God, it was with a disposition of heart that says, “Lord, You are our strength, our sufficiency,” and once again, they began to “rest” in Him. That doesn’t mean they did nothing, but they went into battle trusting God for the victory, and under these conditions, He always gave it to them.

When we come to the New Testament, Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). The issue is very simple. The branch cannot exist on its own. It needs to be attached to the vine, and then co-exists with the life that is in the vine. We are the branches; Jesus is the vine, and we trust Him for the sustenance needed to produce the fruit. He does the leading, the equipping and enabling for us to become the instruments He uses in bringing others to Him.

On that note, our business is not to become preoccupied with producing fruit, but to be rightly connected to the vine, and the fruit will be inevitable. Neither is it the consequences of what we do that we need to be concerned about, but rather the cause behind it. If the cause is our obedience to God and dependence on Him, then the consequences are up to Him. It is always God who produces the fruit through us, and we need only “rest” in His sufficiency.

Our Christian service isn’t about cleverly thought out techniques and strategies. It’s about love for God, trust in Him, obedience to Him and dependence on Him. 1 Thessalonians 5:24 says, “The one who has called you is faithful and he will do it.” That does away with the pressure, and allows us to “rest” in the utter strength and sufficiency of God, Himself.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, in everything You call me to do, keep me from implementing my own strategies, and help me to rest in your sufficiency. Thank You, Lord.

TO REFLECT UPON: Am I resting in God’s sufficiency?