Rest Of God Is Active

A few days ago Red Letter Believers (http://redletterbelievers.blogspot.com/) initiated a group writing project: Rest. In Robert and David’s words: "Have you ever experienced true rest? What is your experience? Was your sabbath an hour, a day or an entire season?"
Robert Geyer is a business executive and David Rupert is a communication professional.

Should you decide to join in you will see the link on the upper right hand panel of this blog. Here's my go at explaining the beautiful "rest" of God.

Many years ago my mentor would listen to my rant of all my “spiritual” works and my fatigue; and when I would finally pause, she would speak lowly with authority, “Kay, rest in the Lord. Rest, rest Kay.” Being a driven striver I had no idea what she was talking about. We still have chuckles remembering my fight to get to the rest of God.

Through her prayers and much Bible mining I live in the rest of God. I seek to live and abide in that beautiful rest every moment of my life. In Hebrews 4:1-3 Paul helped me with these words, “Let us therefore fear, lest a promise being left us of entering into His rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. For we which have believed do enter into rest.”

In Strong’s concordance this Greek word for rest is katapausis (Strong’s G2663):
Putting to rest; calming of the winds.
A resting place; metaphor: the heavenly blessedness in which God dwells, and of which he has promised to make preserving believers in which God dwells.

Thayer’s Lexicon defines katapausis in these words:actively, a putting to rest; a calming of the winds.

Since that struggle with my mentor over resting in the Lord I have faced much greater issues, but I have not struggled and suffered as I did before I had this revelation of living in rest. "My soul finds rest in God alone" Psalm 62:1. Rest in this verse is the Hebrew word is damiy -- quietness. Charles Spurgeon said this about this verse "The presence of God alone could awe his heart into quietude, submission, rest and acquiescence.”

My main problem was unbelief.

Until I faced that I believed in my problems more than I believed in the power of God, I had no rest. Now I fear unbelief more than I fear my problems or other people. My question is “Is God able?” If I believe He is able, in all things, I am in His rest.

I live everyday diligently placing my mind on God and His attributes. It is my intention to see every problem and challenge through my knowledge of God in my life, God in the Bible and God working in others’ lives. I focus on His promises instead of dwelling on the calamity of the day shouted through the media. This does not come to me automatically. I come to the beginning of everyday with healthy fear of God and I diligently trust Him anew in all things.

Reading Stephen's last words as the "stoners" were warming up to kill him; I come into the right attitude toward God's work in my life, "the Most High does not dwell in houses made with hands" (Acts 7:48), and quoted God's statement from Isaiah 66:1: "'Heaven is My throne, and earth is the footstool of My feet; What kind of house will you build for Me?' says the Lord; 'Or what place is there for My rest (Greek katapauseos)?'" (Acts 7:49). We are the "household" that Jesus Christ has built (3:6), in the church of the living God, in Christian people. My rest comes in having "Christ in us, the hope of glory" (Col. 1:27). I see this individually and corporately.

Years ago I was conflicted with church religious performance and the inner "rest" of relying on God's grace. Through the love of God, and my mentor; God led me to Himself. I accomplish more works that matter these days, and my work is my delight (most days it doesn’t feel like work). Oh could we all comprehend what Paul wrote "the better rest of God" and cease from their "works." in Hebrews 4:10.

Jesus Christ is enough.