For he has spoken somewhere about the seventh day in this manner,
And God rested on the seventh day from all his works;
and again, in the previously mentioned place,
They shall not enter into my rest.
Therefore, let us strive to enter into that rest,
so that no one may fall after the same example of disobedience.
During our funeral liturgies we pray, “Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord;” and, “May they rest in peace;” which are translations of the older Latin expression, “Requiescat in pace.” We imagine death as a kind of sleep or rest. We hope that it might be a relaxing, refreshing sleep, followed by a revival of energy in the promised resurrection of the body. But in the meanwhile, we wish our loved ones rest from all their labors.
That devout, prayerful hope echoes the fourth chapter of the Letter to the Hebrews, but I suppose its origin lies in something more basic than scripture. Weary of the struggle to be human, we long for peace, and quiet, and rest.
Today’s scripture adds an extraordinary dimension to that longing: our rest will be ‘in my rest.” We will rest in the Lord as the Lord rested on the seventh day, on that original sabbath.
In the Jewish tradition – which is now our tradition -- rest is communion with God. It is not earned; it is a gift from the God who bestows gifts upon his beloved while they sleep. If it is a deserved reward, it is given to those deemed worthy because they trusted in God.
We often bring with us through our baptism – and despite our baptism – a deep anxiety about our worth. Long before we believed in God we believed the rewards of peace, comfort, ease, pleasure, security, esteem, love, and friendship should be earned by diligence and hard work. This unfortunate idea underlies much of our efforts; it is not a treasure buried in a field but a submerged boulder that frustrates the farmer’s plow whenever he would seed his field. If we cannot remove it, neither can we imagine life without it. Despite many reassurances of our faith, we’re sure that rest must be earned.
Doesn’t Hebrews say we must strive to enter that rest?
I have sometimes heard people insist, as they seemed to be losing ground, that “God will not test me beyond my strength!” But it seemed they were trying to get something they should not have. They were fighting with God in the conviction that God would give them what they want because they want it. Although we should ask for what is good, desirable, and beautiful, we should also cultivate that gentle willingness to “Let God be God” as we wait upon him. We cannot see beyond the horizon, we cannot imagine all the consequences of our actions, we ask the Lord to guide our desires and prayers as well as our actions.
“Striving to enter his rest” often means letting go of the struggle and watching to see how God works things out for us. We’ll pray with Jehoshaphat and watch the Lord destroy our enemies. And then we’ll enter into his rest.
No comments:
Post a Comment
I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.