Rest

Many thanks to Steve Dixon for this picture. This "favorite spot" looks like a great place to do some fishing or perhaps just sit on that big rock in the center and let the waves ease a wearied mind. We all look forward to times when we can just "kick back" and relax, but I am quite sure that most of us would say that those times are all to infrequent. A good question would be "what is rest, anyway"? We can get some insight into what it means to rest from the book of Hebrews chapter three:

Heb 3:1 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;
Heb 3:2 Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house.
Heb 3:3 For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath built the house, hath more honor than the house.
Heb 3:4 For every house is built by some man; but he that built all things is God.
Heb 3:5 And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were afterwards to be spoken.
Heb 3:6 But Christ as a son over his own house: whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence, and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.
Heb 3:7 Wherefore (as the Holy Spirit saith, To-day if ye will hear his voice,
Heb 3:8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
Heb 3:9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.
Heb 3:10 Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do always err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.
Heb 3:11 So I swore in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)
Heb 3:12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
Heb 3:13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To-day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
Heb 3:14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end;
Heb 3:15 While it is said, To-day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.
Heb 3:16 For some, when they had heard, did provoke: yet, not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.
Heb 3:17 But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcasses fell in the wilderness?
Heb 3:18 And to whom did he swear that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?
Heb 3:19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.

The Webster Bible

Rest is found in God and confident faithful obedience is the pathway. The Israelites who exited from Egypt are the bad example and Jesus is the good one. Simple, isn't it? Yet, how many of us get sidetracked with other things; work, school, money, family matters to name just a few. Why does this happen? Does someone really wake up one morning and decide to follow their own way and put God out of the picture? No, rather I would think that most people succumb to the daily media barrage and pressures of just making a living. One way to avoid this would be to think of your favorite place from time to time and imagine Jesus waiting for you there; perhaps sitting on a rock waiting to answer your deepest questions. Its almost enough to make me want to take up fishing, how about you; had a rest lately?