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A Prayer about Working Hard to Rest Well

     Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened. For we who have believed enter that rest. Heb. 4:1–3

     So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. Let us therefore strive to enter that rest. Heb. 4:9–11

     Heavenly Father, what a glorious paradox. You’re calling us to work diligently, to invest great effort, to strive with all our might to enter your rest. We know our performance-based hearts well enough to appreciate the obvious irony. Work hard to rest well. Work hard to cease working.

     The gospel contradicts the fundamental way we’ve been trained to approach every sphere of life—athletics, education, finances, career, reputation. “Do it the good ol’ fashioned way—earn it!” “God helps those who help themselves.” “You’ll always get what’s coming to you.” We’ve inherited these motivation-mantras and, unfortunately, we’ve passed them on to our children. Forgive us and free us.

     Because the gospel is true, we didn’t get what’s coming to us, fortunately. You gave that to Jesus at the cross. And in exchange, you’ve given us what we never could’ve earned: complete forgiveness, the righteousness of Jesus, and your permanent favor resting on us. There’s no greater rest than to know you are at peace with us, to be certain that you are resting and rejoicing in great love over us.

     Jesus, you created the world in six days and then entered a Sabbath rest. Likewise, when you died on the cross, securing our salvation and the restoration of creation, you cried, “It is finished” (John 19:30). Your work was over and you rested, and now we enter your rest. Our never-ending work is to hear and believe this gospel, not just on this Lord’s Day, but every moment of every day. What a most healing, liberating and fruit-bearing vocation you have given us! In your gracious and tender name we pray. Amen.

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