There is a hidden gospel of works lurking among us. Like all lies it’s based on a truth. But it’s been corrupted. The truth is “On Earth as it is in Heaven”. That is that God’s overarching purpose for the earth is that it be just like heaven. Truth. But here is the lie. We have to work very hard at making the earth like heaven. We must exhaust ourselves. We have to sacrifice and give all our money and pray hard and fast and have big stadium events. We have to go to the streets and force ourselves on people. We have to warn them about hell. We have to whip ourselves… oh wait that was the prophets of Baal wasn’t it? Oooohhhhh! Elijah taunted them for all their flailing and self abuse trying to get their god’s attention. (I Kings 18) When the fire came from God to consume the sacrifice, it was effortless on the part of Elijah. (He did have to build the altar and prepare the sacrifice, but that’s another story.)

Folks, it’s not about working ourselves to death. If it really is going to be “On Earth and it is in Heaven” it will be about REST! We readily say “no disease, no one is hungry, etc.” But rarely do I hear that it’s about rest. No that does not mean we do nothing. But what we do must come from a place of rest, not striving. Or is is NOT Heaven on Earth. Saints the concept of rest is just lost on our hyperactive modern American culture. Perhaps a lot of the disease we so are against would vanish were we to learn to rest!

That is why I think rest is kind of a broken record for many preachers. We just don’t get it. We are so hyperactive we cannot sit still. If we learn to rest on one area, we get all hyper in another. We have causes and battle cries galore. But what if he is not in the fire or wind? But in the still small voice. I believe this is the call of God to the church today. Rest. Rest child. Rest in my arms.