Entering God's Rest (3)

I am reading from Hebrews:

(NIV)Hebrews 3:7-14
So, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you hear his voice, [8] do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the wilderness, [9] where your ancestors tested and tried me, though for forty years they saw what I did. [10] That is why I was angry with that generation; I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.’ [11] So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’ ” [12] See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. [13] But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. [14] We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end.

(NIV)Hebrews 4:7-11
God again set a certain day, calling it “Today.” This he did when a long time later he spoke through David, as in the passage already quoted: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” [8] For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. [9] There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; [10] for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. [11] Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.

I was reading the book Supernatural Anointing by Julia Loren and she had an interview with Heidi Baker, talking about how she has learned to lean back into the Father, and rest in His embrace when ministering. She used to work, work, work, but found that in the Father she could literally rest. She could lean back and go low and slow and just do what she sees the Father doing. The Father does the work, and in that place of intimacy she is able lean back and let Him.

I find the passages from Hebrews interesting in that they talk about entering God's rest, and specifically Heb 4:10, "... for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works,..." This verse speaks of resting from our works, because we have entered into God's rest. I was rereading some of my entries in my journal about this passage and God's rest, and in large part He was speaking about stepping into their inheritance, see the fulfillment of God's promise and plan in their lives.

The word that grabbed my attention was 'today', and I believe this is the key point of the author of the letter to the Hebrews, is that this is a present word. Today can be today, literally. It is the day for believing that which the Lord has said; it is the day to remember what the Lord has done; it is the day to step into our inheritance; it is the day to enter into God's rest and possess that which He desires us to possess. The work required on our part is faith! Faith in Him comes from knowing Him, understanding Him, believing His words and embracing our relationship with Him. Faith isn't something we work up, but it too comes from rest. Resting in Him. Once we step into that place, our work is over. We don't have to strive, or work like a servant, but rather rest as a son or daughter in our Father's embrace.