Day 114 Finding Rest

4/24/2025

 "Our hearts are restless until they find rest in You, O Lord."

St. Augustine 

In Israel today is a very special day, as it is the Holocaust Remembrance Day honoring survivors of those dark days. The slogan "Never Again" brought on new resolve on October 7, 2023, when Hamas carried out its terror attack on innocent civilians, many still in their beds. The war continues marking 566 days today. It is indeed "the the best of times, it is the worst of times." Many observances and events were being held to honor these precious survivors, but the the same time, acts of hatred are being staged in different countries as well as the United States. Antisemitism is a very evil word and deed. God forgive those who hold such hatred for a country who desires only to live in peace with all men.

Yesterday and today I have been experiencing more than usual pain in my back, making it difficult to walk or move at times. Still, I am pressing forward by sheer will power and the grace of God. It seems as if trials and tests of endurance, whether physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual, continue to come, and I suspect it will be difficult on many days if one considers the day and time we are living. I've been meditating on things God has been teaching me over the months, years, a lifetime. I know these times are necessary, otherwise I would not be going through it. Many people want to blame God for not "doing something" to stop an illness or crime or a zillion other possibilities. What we do not understand is that we are not incurring God's wrath or judgment, rather on the earth we incur the wrath of satan. He does not want us to prosper, be in good health, or trust God in any way. He works overtime to achieve his nefarious schemes of our eternal damnation. But when we are children of God, as believers are, we have eternal life to look forward to. While here on earth, however, we will suffer. Jesus told us as much, but I prefer to think positively about the purpose of my life while here in this world.

I've been studying the book of Ephesians with my Harvest Ministries community group, considering the mystery of Christ in us, the dispensation of God's grace, that Gentiles are fellow heirs of the promise in Christ. Paul called himself a prisoner of Jesus Christ for our sake in sharing this great mystery. He says he has been entrusted to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, so we will know "the unending, boundless, fathomless, incalculable and exhaustless riches of Christ." (Ephesians 3:8 AMP) The word "entrusted" is one I have heard before regarding my life, so whenever I see it used, I realize the depth of meaning it has for us. This is why I love word studies on words like "But God...!" or "Suddenly...." the context in which these words are used by God or about Him. It was hard enough for the apostles to understand the depth and character of God's love towards them and the calling they had, but they finally did when they were filled with Holy Spirit. 

Paul goes on to speak of the Fatherhood of God towards us as believers, and the access that we now have to approaching God in freedom, without fear, part of the family, bowing our knees before the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. That is a lot to grasp. It is a mystery even to the Jews! I love the way Paul words the depth of what God intends in our inheritance as His child. Listen to this prayer as Paul pours out his heart on our behalf:

"May He (God) grant you (us) out of the rich treasury of His glory to be strengthened and reinforced with mighty power in the inner man by the Holy Spirit (Himself) - indwelling your innermost being and personality. May Christ through your faith actually dwell - settle down, abide, make His permanent home - in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love, that you may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints (God's devoted people, the experience of that love) what is the breadth and length and height and depth (of it); that you may really come to know - practically, through experience for yourselves - the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge (without experience); that you may be filled (through all your being) unto all the fullness of God - that is may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself!" (Ephesians 3:16-19 AMP)

The Amplified Bible expands the translation and adds intensity to it, maybe a bit overly at times, but we really need to understand fully just what Jesus has, in His obedience to go to the cross and die for our sins, provided for us when we are accepted into the Godhead through faith in Christ's substitutionary act of love for us. The scripture above speaks of God's abiding Presence within us, dwelling within us. I have spoken about having that intimate relationship with God before, so I will not belabor the message again. But just reading the words above and believing, trusting, living it out by the power of Holy Spirit. Well, you get the idea, I hope.

This is my hope for the Jewish people who have not accepted Christ as Savior and Lord. The survivors of the Holocaust, who endured so much, believe in God, but they are not born again. Jesus said to Nicodemus that we must be born again to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. And it is the same for all people who are given this wonderful gift of forgiveness and new life. My heart aches to see all come to Christ, and then to truly know the riches of the inheritance of those who believe. We need to know who we are in Christ and the power we have seated with Christ in heavenly places. The word of God is active and alive, more powerful than any two-edged sword. It is a lamp to our feet, a light to our path. He is our peace, shalom peace, nothing missing, nothing out of order. Our place of rest in the midst of the mayhem. Jesus promises in Matthew 11:28-29: "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." 

Come, rest awhile with Jesus!