For anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. (NIV)

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).  

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What a freeing statement. ALL have sinned. ALL fall short. You are not alone. You are not the only one who has fallen short.  

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But what’s even better? Romans 3:24 says, “and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”  

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Forgiveness is for ALL. You are no worse (or better) than the person next to you.  

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Here’s what I found super interesting in today’s verse – we are not called to strive for our forgiveness – we are called to rest. “For anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their work.” In today’s society, that seems backwards, right? I mean, if we do something wrong, then we have to work extra hard to make up for it and make it right, right?

Not in the upside-down Kingdom of Heaven. If you read through Hebrews chapters 3 and 4, you’ll see a theme of obedience, belief, and rest. When Moses led his people to the Promised Land, he was not permitted to enter with them, into rest, because of his disobedience (see Deuteronomy 32).  But Joshua, being obedient to God, led the people into the promised land, and there he was granted rest.

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This rest was not a kick back and relax kind of rest – there was work to be done. This rest was the peace of God. Blue Letter Bible defines it as, “the heavenly blessedness in which God dwells.”  You see, God didn’t tell them that, since they were disobedient, they had to work hard to earn his favor. No, he simply called them to be obedient.  

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The difference is subtle but important. Sometimes we get so caught up in the shame of our “disobedience” or sin, that we strive to do the “right” things. We go to church, we read our Bibles, we go to small group, etc… And all these things are good, but we still avoid addressing our disobedience, our sin.  

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To enter God’s rest, “the heavenly blessedness in which God dwells,” we simply need to turn to him and be obedient.  

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What does that look like? Sometimes, it looks like taking a step God is calling you to take even though you’re scared – that new job, that phone call, maybe even that person who’s been asking you out. Sometimes it looks like repentance, turning away from the sin that has you trapped and in bondage, surrendering that to Jesus and letting him have his way.  

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Here’s the really beautiful part of this: “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:14-16).

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God’s not asking for you to work extra hard to earn his grace back. He’s already washed that sin clean through the blood of his Son, Jesus Christ. God is asking that you receive that mercy and grace and rest in him.

Father God, thank you that you have given us grace and rest through that grace. In your great mercy, you have given a way out for us – a way to make things right so that we can be in your presence. Thank you for your Son, Jesus. Thank you that he “gets” it. That he knows what we are tempted by and struggle with. Thank you that in that knowledge, we can confidently approach your throne. God, we love you. In Jesus’s name ~ AMEN!