and I will give you rest."
Matthew 11:28
A senior adult man said to his pastor, "You know, sometime I wonder if I've done all I need to do to make it to heaven. I'm trying the best I know how to get there." His pastor said, "None of us will get there by trying. It's about trusting. We need to trust in the Lord and rest in Him." The pastor went on to share Scripture verses with the man that teach our eternal destiny is about trusting in God's mercy and grace. The man finally came to a point of assurance that going to heaven is not about what we have done, but what God has done for us in Christ.
Jesus invited all who were weary to come to Him and find rest. The word rest refers to our relationship with God in Christ which leads to heaven. To rest in the Lord means that we are completely depending upon Him to do in us what we cannot do for ourselves. Salvation is the gift of God to be received. We don't work to earn a gift, we simply receive it. "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Are you resting in the Lord? To rest in Him means that all of our confidence, trust, and reliance is in His ability to do in our lives what we are unable to do for ourselves. Only God can save us and He does it by faith in Jesus Christ. That means we are resting in the Lord. Works may boast and say to us, "I can get you to heaven, if you try hard and labor to do your best." Jesus says to us, "Come unto Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).
God, we rest in Christ alone as our salvation.
