Meditation

10/052021

“Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is he man who takes refuge in him.” (Psalm 34:8)

Refuge is a prominent meaning of salvation in the Old Testament. God is a safe refuge for all who will turn to Him, for they will find meaning rest and peace from life’s storms. Refuge is a common term used in the Old Testament to imply there is not source of security as sage as the refuge found for will who are willing to trust and believe in Him.

PRAYER FOR THE DAY:

Precious Abba, we came before Your throne of grace today, simply to say thank You for allowing us to come gather at Your feet when the world seems to want to cause us harm, and we instead feel the calming feel of Your presence, giving us refuge to calm our fears, and regain our understanding of just how precious You are just how much we can always depend upon You. This we pray. Amen

THOUGHT OF THE DAY:

“The bread of life never gets stale.”

KNOWING GOD:

“Therefore since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. For we are also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did, but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith. Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said, ‘So I declared on oath in my anger; ”’They shall never enter my rest.’” And yet his work has been finished since the creation of the world. For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: ‘And on the seventh day God rested from all his work.” And again in the passage above he says, “They shall never enter my rest.” It still remains that some will enter that rest, and those who formerly had the gospel preached to them did not go in, because of their disobedience. Therefore God again set a certain day, calling it Today, when a long time later he spoke through David, as was said before: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” For if Joshua had given hem rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. There remains, then, a Sabbath rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s res also rests from his own work, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience. (Hebrews 4:1-11)

Rest as the end of work and labor describes God’s salvation. It was the goal God reached on the seventh day of creation (Genesis 2:2-3). It was Israel’s goal after possessing the Promised Land (Joshua 21:44; 23:11). It represents satisfied enjoyment of what God has planned and accomplished. This is one definition of salvation. We enter rest by faith in the gospel, giving p our works as the way to salvation. The opportunity to enter His rest remains open. This salvation rest will be fully realized to enter the rest God provided for us.

I AM:

“Then I heard a voice from heaven say, ‘Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit. “They will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.”” (Revelation) 14:13)

God’s rest includes a final rest place for the dead in Christ—-heaven (22:1—22:5). “Rest here probably means final release from sufferings, tortures, and dead, as well as cessation of physical work and toil. This is the second of seven beatitudes in Revelation given to comfort those facing the prospect of martyrdom because they confessed their Lord (1:3). This also does not intend to tell anyone that works without faith will get you into the kingdom. Works honor our relationship of faith with God through Christ, but are not intended to be another route to enter heaven.

SECOND THOUGHT OF THE DAY:

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

Beloved God’s salvation is rest. This in some respects comparable to the Old Testament understanding of salvation as refuge. Jesus invites the weary and burdened to come to Him and find rest for their souls. The yoke He puts on persons is much easier than that of the legalistic religion taught by the scribes and Pharisees (Mark 7:2-5, 8; Acts 15:10). His burdens are lighter than the burdens others may put on us. Especially can He give us rest from the heavy burden of sin.