LOST and FOUND
LOST and FOUND
How can I Feel Less Stressed?
How can I Feel Less Stressed?
As we enter into God’s faith-rest life we cease from our own works,
just as God celebrates his finished works and rests in them
Hebrews 4:10, Passion Translation
just as God celebrates his finished works and rests in them
Hebrews 4:10, Passion Translation
Found but feeling fatigued. Saved but still stressed. Didn’t Jesus say that if we take Jesus yoke, we would find rest? Websites abound with advice on temporarily reducing stress. Pause for a minute though to consider the word ‘sabbath’.
The words sabbath, seven and rest are all the same basic word in Hebrew. Sabbath in Israel simply meant you ceased from the assigned 6 days of work, with no mention in the OT of attending a worship service. The far-reaching purpose was to underline their need of Messiah – the true Rest. It is not wrong for Christians to set aside one day every week for rest but they need to realise salvation is not achieved by such an observation (Rom 14:5; Col 2:16-17). The Law was not destroyed but was fulfilled in Jesus. We have died to its authority.
The words above from Hebrews 4 explain what the true sabbath is - to cease from our own efforts to attain righteousness. No more of our righteousness, but His; no more exhausting religious works or services to win God’s approval; no more ‘do’ because it has been ‘done’. No more guilt.
The late Ray Stedman suggested, “The reason why you cannot enter into the joy and glory and excitement of the rest which God has provided in ceasing from your own activities and resting upon his, is because, in some way or another, you are protecting some area of the ego, the self-life, saying, "This is mine; keep your hands off." As long as you do that you cannot have rest.
______________________________
Rest from stress: enjoy Christ your Sabbath today!
Rest from stress: enjoy Christ your Sabbath today!