Focus: Restful Faith

Text: Gen.2:2,3

"And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he RESTED on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God BLESSED the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had RESTED from all his work which God created and made."

In Gen.1:26-31, we have the description of man's creation, which happens to be on the sixth day. God's work comes to an end after the creation of man. That is, there's nothing else for God to make after man. He is the last or final thing that comes into existence before God could finally rest. Please follow my emphasis! It means that the whole creation was in place, waiting for man's arrival. Man comes last, but he is given the first place. He moves from the last place to the first position. God made him the head of creation.

Apart from occupying the first position in creation, he is also blessed of God, and indeed blessed for doing nothing. He is yet to do a single thing, but he is already getting blessed. That is God bestowing blessing where there is no labor or merit.

Man is created and blessed. In blessing him, God assigns a leadership role to him. According to Psalm 8, he is honored and crowned. This is simply the sheer mystery and majesty of sovereign grace. Man is created and elected, anointed and appointed, called and commissioned.

He is singled out for honor. Arriving last, he is made the first. Then God ceased from all His labor and enters into the seventh day rest. He takes the man with Him to rest. Is it not incredible and amazing that man moves from the place where he is yet to anything to where he is resting? God who worked is now resting, and man who has done no work yet is also resting. God is resting from His work, but man is resting without having done any work.

Man in his rest is enjoying all that God has done. His work begins from the place of rest. In his rest he reflects on everything that God has done. In his rest, he marvels at God and His creative designs. He wonders and worships. He sees God's glory in creation, and seizes the opportunity of all he sees to be thoughtful and thankful. In his rest, he celebrates the goodness of God. In his rest, he takes in and enjoys God's work.

This is exactly what Christianity is all about. It's about what God has done through Christ. And this is where Christianity differs from religion. Religion is man doing everything possible to earn God's favor, while Christianity is Christ having done everything possible to give rest to man. In Christ, man is at rest, enjoying all that Christ has done.

There is nothing to add to all that Christ has done. There is nothing to be removed or substituted from all that Christ has done. The work of creation is perfect, and so is the work of redemption. In Christ we have privileges to enjoy and rights to exercise. Someone has finely made the point that "too much of our religious activity today is nothing more than a cheap anesthetic to deaden the pain of an empty life." We don't work for salvation; we work from salvation.

We are too mindful of everything we are doing wrong that we are not seeing everything that Christ has done to right all our wrongs. The Christian life is to be lived in wonder and worship, and in total appreciation and appropriation of all that Christ has done for us. Jesus says, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will GIVE you REST… ye shall FIND REST unto your souls" (Mt.11:28,29). Christianity is a call to cease from our religious labor and to rest. Stop work and get some rest. Always bear in mind that our self-righteousness is a soiled and spoiled righteousness. The righteousness of Christ is all we need and it is sufficient for us. He has judicially imputed on us His own righteousness and also spiritually imparted it to us. Let us gladly and gratefully receive His gift of rest and discover rest for our souls. Faith means leaning and resting on God. Faith is knowing that God is strong enough to bear your whole weight. All your weight is like the weight of a feather compared to the strength of God. The moment you embrace Christ you have embraced God's rest for the rest of your life. Your soul is finally at rest.

You don't work to earn or to curry God's favor. You work to imitate your Father in heaven, who is a worker. You work to show responsibility. You work to fulfill your destiny. You work, for God is still at work, and you are collaborating with Him. You work as one representing God on earth. But we work solely from the place of rest, not from the place of restiveness. Faith is our principle. Faith practices rest as a matter of principle. Remember that I once taught you of the three dimensions of faith, which is reckoning, relying or resting, and risking. Practice it!

I believe that someone is being blessed by these throne-room messages of God.

Let me use this medium to tell you about our ongoing building project for this global ministry. Whatever the Lord tells you to do to key into His purpose, heed His voice and do it. By your act of faith and obedience, God will be glorified, you will be edified, and Satan will be terrified. Blessings!

by Bishop Moses E. Peter