Last week during holidays, we had an opportunity to meet with our previous pastor’s family. Both husband and wife are still shepherding. We had a great time in sharing and fellowship with them.  It has been 10+ years since the family left the area and we are happy to see them in good spirit and in good shape too. 🙂

The pastors shared with us their journey of faith and reminded us that we need to tell good news to others and learn how to enter the “the Most Holy Place” everyday. Because in there, we are entering the rest – confess our transgressions, seek God’s face and ask for mercies. This is similar to Andrew Murray has said, “… The Lord Jesus will every day from heaven continue His work in me. But on one condition—the soul must give Him time each day to impart His love and His grace. Time alone with the Lord Jesus each day is the indispensable condition of growth and power.”

Talking about “entering the rest”, in the piano music, there is an important symbol called “rest”. A “rest” marks the absence of a note, and indicates there will be no note played in the measure for its duration. It does not mark the end of a song or movement but serves two purposes. One is to “rest temporarily” and the other is to “adjust and prepare” for the coming music measures. Sometimes, it could have a change in dynamics of the song after the rest or starting a brand new measure with different intonation. Thus, it is imperative for a song or movement to have rests in order to present its music dynamics and intonations.

Chinese has an old saying, “To rest is to prepare for a longer journey (challenges) ahead 休息是為了走更遠的路”. It indicates to us the importance of rest as it can prepare us for challenges ahead. When prophet Elijah was afraid and ran for his life, after his great triumph over Ahab and Jezebel, he came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. It is the angel of LORD provided him bread and water and told him that “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you. 起來吃罷 ！因為你當走的路甚遠” So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. 他就起來吃了喝了，仗著這飲食的力，走了四十晝夜，到了神的山，就是何烈山  (1 Kings 19:1-8). Apparently, Elijah’s source of energy was provided from God.

In fact, after God created the heaven and earth, He also designated a day to rest. It does not mean God is tired after 6 days’ work but He wants to set an example for us to set apart a day in order to enter His rest – to fellowship with Him. The author of the book of Hebrews also instructed us to “make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience. 我們務必竭力進入那安息，免得有人學那不信從的樣子跌倒了. (Hebrews 4:11). Therefore, it is very important in our faith journey that we learn to enter the rest and to receive heavenly source of power, everyday. Without entering the rest, we will be spiritually depleted and burnout quickly – we couldn’t face challenges ahead. Let’s set apart a period of time everyday to seek and to fellowship with Him.  May He continues to impart His love and His grace in you!