Life is characterized with challenges and so many ups and downs, it is filled with despair, disappointments, shame, and delay; The declining state of your nation, your family, your standard of living, the bad leadership, the kidnappings and killings, the economic downturn, and a lot of other things are enough to upset and discomfort an individual or a group of people. In the midst of all these, some people may be tempted to ask; when shall all these things, these troubles, these commotion, these killings and kidnapping end? These however, has put men in a perpetual state of fear, worry, anxiety, anger, agitation and restlessness. It is however not surprising that nations and peoples, families, organizations go through a phase or difficult times but the most important thing is that in all of these we are more than a conqueror through Him who loved us. The question is who is the one that loved us, that makes us more than conquerors in the midst of all these situations of life?
It is said that there are three basic needs of man, which is food, clothing and shelter. But I have come to realize that the basic need of man and the basic need of our nation is rest. If food is our basic need, why do we still worry, why do you still fear, if clothing and shelter is the basic need of man, why do wealthy nations who have some of these things taken care of still go through difficulties and challenges? If banditry, insecurity and terrorism is the order of the day in your nation, and haven hired watch men or with the involvement of security agencies, why then do we still find it difficult to sleep? All these problems including unemployment are not the problems of man or our nation. Our problem is that we lack rest. Let me explain myself better.
The problems of man are infinite as long as life goes on, problems will not finish, and as far as this world is concerned there is only one way to live a balanced life. It is called the life of rest and peace. Until there is rest there can’t be prosperity, until you find rest you can’t focus on the needful, if the society is chaotic how then can we work or feed well?
Hebrews 4:9 in this context says “there remains therefore a rest for the people of God.” There is a rest prepared for a category of people, they are called the people of God. This is what separate the people of God from the people of the world. While others are under pressure, while others are carried away with the imbalance in the economy, the people of God are having peace. There is a promise of rest but is only meant for the people of God and for God pleasers. John 14:27 says; “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it fear.” So, while the world is troubled, there is a different experience for the people of God. When the world is saying there is a casting down, the people of God are saying there is a lifting up. I will confidently say that those who belong to God, who are truly children of God, led and hidden in God are isolated from all the pressures, storms and wind that blow around.
Jesus said in Matthew 11:29, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Coming to Christ talks about seeking first the kingdom. If you can’t put first the kingdom, you can’t find rest, because quality of life is not measured by the abundance of the material things you possess, it is in the quality of Gods rest that you enjoy. Jesus didn’t say come to me and I will give you money. Does it mean that you don’t need money? No! He said I will give you rest when you come to me. Christ Jesus is the hall-mark of mans need. Meaning that He should be the first on the priority list.
You must seek Him first for prosperity and peace to seek and come after you. Jesus quickly identified the real problem of man, it is stress, restlessness, fear and worry. And the real solution to the problem of man is rest and the giver of rest is Christ. He said you will find rest for your souls. So, the problem is with the soul, if Christ can give the soul of man rest then other things will conform and make meaning to man. If your soul is in crisis you need Christ-the word, and until your soul finds rest you are not fulfilled.
The problem of kidnapping and bandits cannot be solved by buying more ammunitions it is only solved by the rest that only God can give. The Scripture says in 1 Kings 5:4, “But now the LORD my God has given me rest on every side, and there is no adversary or crisis.” Is it not until you have adversary that you will have to fight or have a need to buy or use ammunition? What about you not having adversary at all? So, if there would ever be a time in this nation that there will be peace in the north, in the south in the east and in the western part of Nigeria, it is because God has given us rest. I see rest coming for this nation. Rather than give priority to the things that hardly matter, we should focus on the one that has the capacity to give us rest. So, what are the things that can guarantee us rest in Christ?
#. OBEDIENCE. Verse 6 of Hebrews chapter 4 says; “Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience.” The Holy Spirit has shown me this practically; this word is like a word I have seen, heard, handled and experienced. Rest will be far from you if you are in disobedience, the word of the Lord that is coming to us says; “today if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” Receive His word with meekness, follow it to the latter and you will find rest. If you haven’t experienced the true rest, check your obedience.
#. FAITH. Jesus said to the devil in Matthew 4:4, it says; “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of Adonai” It says man does not “live by bread” let us note that; physical and material possession is not what satisfies man, the word is what satisfies man, it is what gets the man fulfilled. The Scripture says the just shall live by faith. So, that word “live” talks about life, and that life is sustained by the word not by bread. If you find it hard to believe or have faith in the word you will find it difficult to have rest. The word of God has come to you concerning your nation, your family, and your destiny, how much do you believe it? Mary said let it be done unto me, let it be done unto Nigeria, unto my family according to your word. That is how faith will guarantee you rest. The Bible says by faith the elders obtained their testimony, they obtained a good report, they obtained their rest.
#. HOLINESS. The Scripture says the just shall live by faith. The question is who is a just man? he is a man that acts based on or behave according to what is morally right and fair. Before the faith can ever work for you into obtaining a good report you must live right, you must be a God pleaser. Because without faith no one can please God. You don’t live above the law; you rest under the shadow and soothing comfort of the word. The Scripture says in proverbs 28:1, “The wicked runs when no man pursues”, in other words the unjust, the unholy, the wicked is always without rest and can never have rest. Abraham believed God and it was accounted unto Him as righteousness. So, the life you live is a testament to whether you have faith in God or not. And if you do believe God by pleasing Him with the way you live, you will continue to find rest. Psalm 37:16-17 says; For the arms of the wicked will be broken, But the Lord sustains the righteous. You must be holy just as God is holy.
#. FOCUS ON THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD. It may not seem like it at the moment, but you must be ready to go through with Him via His word. Hebrews 10:23 says; Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. God is not a man that He should lie, He is not slack concerning His promises. He will make it good in due time. Haven obeyed, you must continue to live by faith, you must be a God pleaser, and continue to focus on the faithfulness of God. We must spend our lives thanking God, who always leads us in triumph through Christ Jesus. That is how we can find true rest and peace in life.
Thanks for the gift of your time, I am Apeh Francis Abah!
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