In yesterday’s sermon we saw how the book of Hebrews highlights two types of rest:
- Rest from dead works now
- Rest from hard pilgrim labors later
But what about before the consummation of that final rest? Is there any relief from hardships that God leads me through now? Didn’t Jesus say, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:28-29)?
Yes, there is a form of relief to be found now in the rest that God provides. But though it’s rest for our souls, it’s not rest from our circumstances. It’s still a rest in the wilderness, or rest on the battlefield. But it is real rest and it is enough. Yet it is not complete rest. That waits for the day when all things have been made new. For now…our rest is found in the confidence that He “is making all things new” (Revelation 21:5).
We know this to be true, that there will be a day when everything hard is made worth it, when tears are wiped away, when the sad things come untrue forever. But how do we appropriate that rest now? Is there a way to borrow rest from the future and use it today?
Yes, some have called this discipline the exercising of “faith in future grace.” The idea is that faith in a future reality drives our ability to persevere in anything. As we rest in the knowledge of that better situation to come, we are refreshed for the journey of continuing to move toward that future reality. We do this habitually even for uncertain realities…like the better career, the better financial situation, the better relationships – faith in future possibilities. We think about how great it will be and then we’re able to keep going in the path to get there. How much more is faith in future grace (the certainties of God’s promises) a reliable source of respite and strength in the midst of persistently hard circumstances! This is exactly why Peter told the suffering church in his day “set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:13).
We live in a tired and broken world, and it can be tempting to think that being a Christian makes no difference. When circumstances are truly hard, life feels futile and full of expired hope. But in Isaiah 43:18-21, God tells his people, “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. The wild beasts will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches, for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people, the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise.” Jesus is that way. The redemption He brought is God’s “new thing.” So rest in that reality, and drink in the promises of the future and final rest it will surely bring. This is your water in the wilderness. We are not to the Promised Land yet; but we have the provision we need!