When God rescued the Israelites from Egypt, He told them He had prepared a place for them — a land flowing with milk and honey, a land of abundance, provision and more than enough.
During their captivity, God’s people were forced to work long, hard hours BEFORE they could work to provide for themselves. They had no rest and no relief. God’s promise of a new land of abundance was beyond their wildest dreams, and seemingly to them, was beyond their reach as well, due to the condition of their hearts.
The people of Israel wandered in the desert for 40 years, unable to enter the land of promise ultimately because of unbelief and fear in their hearts.
Friend, here’s what I want you to understand from God’s Word: just as He prepared it for His people, God has prepared a Promised Land for us. But like so many of the Israelites of that first generation, many of us are wandering around unable to enter in and receive the promise.
In the new covenant, our Promised Land today is not a physical location; our Promised Land today is to enter into a place of rest in Christ through His finished work at the cross. What I am talking about in the Promised Land of rest, blessing and fruitful living that God has prepared for you, here on earth!
You can’t work you way in, succeed your way in, achieve your way in or prove your way in. The only way into God’s rest is to trust and believe that He has already done it for you. It’s a gift; it’s by His grace.
God has promised you that you don’t have to be anxious, worried, discouraged, stressed, ashamed or depressed. You can rest in Him and experience His amazing and abundant favor that He has made available to you because of Jesus.
Jesus is the promise of the “Promised Land.” Hebrews 4: 1-3 makes it clear: “Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. For we who have believed do enter that rest …” (NKJV)
WOW! The difference between those who enter into God’s rest and those who don’t comes down to one thing…faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ. Will you believe that Jesus’ finished work on the cross opens doors, heals hearts and lives, and provides everything you will ever need by giving you “every spiritual blessing,” (Ephesians 1) or will you believe the common misconception that “God helps those who help themselves?”
When you’re resting in God, your only labor is to fight off all the temptations to not trust in what’s already been done for you. It is not easy. It is difficult to simply trust and receive from God — when we focus on our shortcomings instead of God’s amazing grace; we’re tempted to work to earn to earn His rest.
You’ve probably experienced this. You’ve felt like you need to “do more” in order to earn the peace or favor of God in your life. But that’s a game you’ll never win. Jesus paid the ultimate price, and that’s why He could say on the cross, “It is finished!” (John 19:30) He did all the hard work - your role is simply to receive the promise of His rest.
God has created a perfect rest for you through His Son Jesus, and He longs for you to enter this place, His great desire is that NO ONE would “come short of it.” Since the creation of the earth we see that God Himself rests. Let me explain this a little deeper. Rest isn’t vacation; it doesn’t mean you sit on the couch watching television and eating ice cream!
Rest is spirit-directed activity. It’s not a new set of rules; it’s the result of listening to God’s voice and obeying with a heart filled with faith and trust. Are you ready to rest and find God’s ultimate peace and best results for your life?
You can live that life right now - no matter what circumstances you’re facing, no matter how many temptations are pulling you away from trusting and resting in Jesus. Are you tired? Jesus invited us into this life in a very familiar passage of Scripture, “Come to Me, all of you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11: 28 NKJV) You may have heard this so many times that you’ve missed what an incredible promise Jesus is making to you.
Look at how the message puts it. “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover you life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me — watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.”
I love that phrase, “the unforced rhythms of grace.” It’s beautiful; it’s so different from the chaos most people live in. That’s why the Gospel is good news; Jesus has prepared a life right now that’s beyond your greatest dreams. But you can only find it as you come to Him.
Right now, as you read these words, Jesus is inviting you into YOUR Promised Land of His rest. You don’t have to be tired, worn out or burned out any longer. He’s ready to show you how to recover your life and take a real zest. You’ll find it as you walk and work with Him, He’ll show you.
If it will help, I’m pleading with you to not spend one more day wandering through a wilderness of worry, discouragement and shame when God’s already prepared a Promised Land of His rest just for you.
I’m praying that you will find your Promised Land — the place of real rest that we can only find in Jesus. When you find it, your life will never be the same. Remember, you weren’t created to live like the Israelites did in Egypt — overworked, worried, stressed and unable to enter into God’s rest. He created you to rest in Him and to receive all of the abundance that comes from this way of life.
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