Labor to enter The "Rest" of God

Hebrews 3:19 - So we see that they could not enter in (to God's rest ) because of unbelief ​

Hebrews 4:1- Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it.

Hebrews 4:2 - For we who have believed do enter that rest, 

Hebrews 4:11 - Let us therefore be diligent (labor) to enter that rest,

It seems like an oxymoron to labor in order to rest. Many have misunderstood these scriptures.

How are we supposed to be diligent about entering the rest of God, and what is it? Are we to just sit still and not do anything? Is it complete inactivity? No.

If we read chapter 3 & 4 of Hebrews, we see that God is talking about faith to receive His promises that have been spoken to us.

In this case the Israelites had been given the promise land of Canaan, but could not enter into the land flowing with milk and honey because of unbelief.

A man named Kenneth E. Hagin, the founder of Rhema Bible College, called faith, a "rest".

I am beginning to really see what he meant.

A funny analogy with my granddaughter Hannah - 

I was babysitting my granddaughter in the beginning of January and had a funny and heartwarming experience.

A brief side journey of events preceding my experience with Hannah - 
I had just recovered from hives after many months of output and preparation for the holidays. A guest minister at our church, A church Christmas luncheon, helping those less fortunate, and Hannah's one year birthday bash at our church a week before Christmas. Normally the holidays are active enough, but with the one year anniversary of my mom's going to heaven, there was unforeseen stresses.  When a loved one goes to heaven, it can bring up a lot of unresolved emotional issues in a family. Many do not process their grief correctly and can displace it in the form of anger towards other family members. Without healthy communication and a lot of prayer, it's easy to get drawn into conflict. Conflict, when left unresolved, always causes strife. With that being said, this was the environment in my extended family before Christmas

I managed well with the grace and help of God. I communicated well and got to the heart of some major issues with my extended family. I was also able to accomplish all the goals on my to do list. Christmas cards were sent, presents were purchased and wrapped, meals were made, the house was spit spot, and Christmas dinner with the family was fit for a king! So why did I get an unusual outbreak of hives after everything was done and accomplished?

Sometimes we are going at such a fast pace, trying to get our goals and agendas done, that we don't pay attention to the warning signs of emotional and spiritual fatigue. This can be more stressful to our bodies then an intense physical workout.

God knows our need to take care of so many important matters in life. He has a way that is higher then our way, in getting the job done. Jesus spoke of this with His friends, Mary and Martha.

Luke 10:39-42 - And she (Martha) had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus feet and heard His word. Vs. 40- But Martha was DISTRACTED with much serving, and she approached Him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me."
Vs. 41- And Jesus answered and said to her. "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things.

Vs. 42- "But ONE THING is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her."

I am usually good at staying in my grace place. I am usually good at detecting when my stress levels are on the rise, and stop striving to accomplish things. There are times in life, however, when it seems that we are being tested on every front. Many tests seem to come out of the clear blue, and can blind side us when we are so busy.

Jesus directive to Martha was that she was distracted with her "much" serving. It pays to really see and hear what Jesus said to these two women. Maybe because we women have a little of both within us all. It's really a wrestling match between the flesh and the spirit.

Jesus admonishment to Mary was that she chose the one thing that is needed in life. She sat at the feet of Jesus to listen and learn of His ways. He said Mary had chosen "that good part, and it would not be taken away from her."

It takes faith and rest to do what Mary did in the face of the needs of humanity. There is the price of rousing the anger of all the Martha's who have so many "good" and important services to provide for people! (This happens with both men and women) It takes faith to withstand the peer pressure of bowing to others expectations, even the expectations of well meaning brothers and sisters in the Lord. God has a way of meeting the needs of humanity through us in His own way and timing.
We can all have the best of intentions in wanting to help others, but at what price? Are we doing that one good thing, that is the better part?

Sometimes we are made to lie down in green pastures, because we don't know how to stop the run a way train of activity on our own! We need to learn how to stop and rest in the presence of the Lord. We need to learn how to surrender to His way of rest and trust, especially during busy seasons.

Psalm 23: 1-3 - The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. Vs. 2- He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. Vs. 3- He restores my soul.

Prior to getting hives, the Lord literally shined a light on these scriptures as I was reading the word. It was cloudy out, and all of a sudden a ray of light shone through the clouds, and literally highlighted this scripture to me. My husband was in the room and even took notice of this.

God always forewarns us to slow down and listen to Him. His will for us is to live in divine health. If we violate the laws of faith and rest, and switch into a works mode of self effort, it opens a door for our bodies to breakdown.

So how does this tie in to the story of the day I babysat my granddaughter Hannah?
I'm getting to that. Hannah was over tired and ready for her nap when I arrived to babysit her.
She loves company, and loves to play and show you all her toys and the things she's learned. (She's only a year old mind you) After playing with her and reading to her, she was visibly tired and fighting sleep.

My own daughter, Grace , would do the same thing as a baby. She would fight sleep because she was afraid she was going to miss out on something fun. She was afraid that I would leave the room and do something without her. She would only settle down and sleep if I was touching her

Remembering how to settle my daughter, I held Hannah and began to rock her in a rhythmic pattern. She has a funny way of singing a tone in a type of cadence that sounds like a march. I joined in with her singing, and she knew I was trying to get her to sleep, so she began wrestling and wiggling, all the while smiling at me. Very cute and funny. I just kept singing and rocking until she was so peaceful that she fell into a restful sleep on my chest.
I so enjoyed her nap on me. I was able to pray over her, love on her, and speak over her in a way that I normally couldn't when she was running around. When a baby runs around, the focus is on protecting them from getting hurt.

I realized that she was laboring in resisting rest, while I was helping her to enter her rest! What a monumental parable and explanation of the scripture in Luke 10 and in psalm 23. I, like the Lord, lovingly made her to lie down in rest. In that state she was restored and blessed in a more effective way.
I began to see that it's the same with us and the Lord. When we stop resisting His ways and surrender to His love, the Lord is able to speak into us and bless us with His rest. He quiets us with His love. Our lives are restored in that process, and we are able to do more with less.

The laboring part of entering the "rest" of God, is quieting down the to do list in our minds, the daily agendas of every day life, the pressure to do what others expect of us, and sit at His feet long enough to hear and learn from His word, as well as the parables of life.

It's not a given that we all hear from the Lord, but He's always speaking to us. We have to slow down long enough to listen.
Psalm 23:5 - You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.

We have been singing a new song in church called "Fill my cup Lord, until it flows, and overflows." I believe it's a sign of what God wants to do this year with His church. That everything we do would come out of this overflow. We can't operate with empty tanks anymore.

It's in the place of the rest of God, that He can pour His love and life into us. That's the place we hear Him crystal clear. That's the place where we receive our marching orders, and the power to carry out His plan on earth.

Nugget from the Lord - How can the Lord pour into a moving cup??