2. TIRED OF TRYING SO HARD?

NEW SERIES: HOW TO FIND REST IN THE LORD

Ancient Israel was given a new land, (see last post), a land flowing with God’s provision, a land where they would find rest from their enemies. The weekly Sabbath was to be the physical reminder and celebration of their calling to rest in God’s supply.

However, that supply was dependant on their ability to obey the Law given to Moses. It was straight forward: obey the Law and receive the promises, disobey and forfeit. Simple.

Only it wasn’t. Because of the inherently sinful nature of man, no one could actually do it. Perhaps some of it, for some of the time, but not all of it for all of the time. And their story is the story of man’s attempt—and failure—to climb up to a holy God through obedience to external rules and regulations; the story of an attempt to please God through human effort. The story, in fact, of religion.

The Christian world is often no different, the rules and regulations just take a different form. A person’s spirituality is measured by their attendance at church services, commitment to a church programme and the daily quiet time. Non-compliance is judged, and many burnt-out Christians drop out, tired of trying so hard, disappointed and disillusioned, thinking ‘It wasn’t supposed to be like this…’
 
And in the secular world, people may not be consciously seeking God, but they strive after advancement. Egged on by the media, there is a constant drive after perfection: perfect bodies, families, jobs, houses, cars… you name it, there is an image of perfection held up as the ultimate aspiration.

There is built into every human heart the understanding that we were made for something more, something bigger, something better; and the compulsion is to strive after it with all our human strength.

​And the result? Disappointment, failure, exhaustion—or the thrill of achievement, followed by the realisation that more striving is required to maintain the exalted position.
​
If true rest and inner peace is found in the finished work of God (see previous posts) rather than our own efforts, then it is all summed up in the person of Jesus.

​CHRIST CAME TO FULFIL THE LAW

During the course of His life, Jesus fulfilled every requirement of God’s Law on our behalf. And in His death, He took upon Himself every one of our failures to 'hit the mark'. Every demand of the Law given to Moses, every religious requirement, every missed attempt at secular perfection has been stamped ‘paid in full’ with a blood-written signature, and our names are inscribed as inheritors. Every righteous requirement of God has already been fulfilled.

There is nothing more we need to do to gain God's favour and blessing.

Apart from one thing:

Then they asked Him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?"
Jesus answered,
"The work of God is this: to believe in the one He has sent."
[John 6:28,29]
​

That’s it, that’s the ‘work of God’. Believe in Jesus.
 
Believe in His day by day, moment by moment involvement in our lives. Believe in His unchanging power and glory. Believe in His all-encompassing love for us in our human frailty. Believe in His irresistible desire to transform our lives to make us like Him.

This is the key to entering rest.

​THIS WEEK’S GRACE RHYTHM

​If the work of God is to believe in Jesus (not in a general ‘statement-of-faith’ sort of way, but in His specific involvement in your life), how are you doing? Take time to talk it through with Him.

​Read more on 'Missing the Mark' by clicking the link.

NEXT WEEK: TAKE TIME OUT
Take time for refreshment...

GET IN TOUCH!

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[Photo credits: Jackson Simmer (Lego bits); Tingey Injury Law Firm (gavel);
​Estee Janssens (hello card) @ Unsplash, with thanks]