New Covenant Rest

In the culture around us "Rest" is not celebrated but seen as avoiding or being lazy.  This is not true of all cultures but especially the American culture values what you "do" more than "being".  I even get tired hearing about some friends vacation plans where they are constantly on the go and there is no "down time".  Yet in stark contrast to all the striving, anxiety, and restlessness there comes Hebrews 4 which talks about a Sabbath rest which is not a day but a state of being through the finished work of Christ.  This is the place we can truly rest because we have been brought into union "in Christ" therefore we share the favor, relationship, and love that the Father has for Jesus.  Jesus said He was going to prepare a place for us.   This grace is far beyond forgiveness, which is incredible mercy.  We cannot conceive of it by only looking from an earthly perspective, we need to experience Heaven to really begin to taste of the Father's great love for us.  I am continuing this journey into the Father's Arms where I can rest in His unconditional love for me, I have found this means exposing many of my anxieties and insecurities.  I believe in Father's love for me He is exposing the roots of these love deficits so He can pour in His healing love.  The command in Scripture is to "...be filled with the Spirit." which means continually, what blocks this is agreements with lies, unbelief, and sin.  Father is lovingly squeezing all of this out so I can be more deeply filled with His Spirit, the New Covenant is all about the Spirit who reveals to us personally what Jesus has done on our behalf.  I believe that true rest does not come from "down time" but from experiencing the secure place in your Abba's arms.  I was given Hebrews 4 as a promise by God for me, I believe over the last few years His Spirit has been working in me to remove anxieties, insecurities, and worries.  Considering some of the instability in my background continuing in faith till promise is manifest in me may take some time.  I love the instant transformation but honestly can't say I have seen that too much in people's lives or my own.  It often seems like a slow building of brick by brick of Promise ("in Christ"), til I come to a point where I can really agree with a Promise in my heart.  I believe true rest is for those who have come to a place of revelation that they know they are a beloved son or daughter secure in their Father's love.  I can say I know this at a head level but the Holy Spirit continues to bring revelation and move me into this place of rest.  I pray that you would invite the Holy Spirit to do a work in your life to bring you into a place of rest, there are things that God will only entrust to sons and daughters.

In Father's Rest,
Bret