Daily Devotional
"For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his."
Hebrews 4:8-10
Though Joshua led Israel into the Promised Land, the author of Hebrews points out that this wasn’t the ultimate rest God had planned for His people. It was a shadow, a foretaste of something greater-the spiritual rest we find in Christ.
The Promised Land flowing with milk and honey parallels the abundant life Christ offers. Just as Israel had to fight battles and overcome obstacles to possess their inheritance, we too face battles in claiming the rest and abundance Christ has secured for us. The difference is that Christ has already won the decisive victory at the cross.
True rest isn’t merely physical relaxation or freedom from activity. It’s the deep soul-peace that comes from ceasing our striving to earn God’s favor and instead resting in what Christ has accomplished on our behalf. It’s what Jesus offered when He said, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).
This rest doesn’t mean we become passive. The Israelites still had work to do in the Promised Land-building homes, planting crops, raising families. But they did this work from a position of rest, knowing the land was securely theirs. Similarly, we work not to gain God’s approval but from a position of having already received it in Christ.
As we conclude this week’s devotional, remember that every promise explored, God’s faithfulness during transitions, freedom from slave mentality, possessing our inheritance, finding strength for the journey, overcoming strongholds, all lead to this ultimate goal: entering and abiding in God’s rest.
Today's Challenge
In what ways are you still striving rather than resting in Christ's finished work? How might your daily life look different if you operated consistently from a position of rest? What specific practices might help you more fully enter and remain in God's rest?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for the true rest You offer me in Christ. Forgive me for the ways I continue to strive and struggle rather than resting in what Jesus has accomplished. Help me to grasp more fully the security I have in You and to live from that position of rest. May my work, relationships, and service flow not from anxious effort but from peaceful trust in Your finished work. Show me how to enter more deeply into the rest that remains for Your people. In Jesus' name, Amen.
