The Promises- God Gives Rest

Last week we started a new series on the Practical Theology Corner looking at the Promises of God. The Promises of God are throughout the Bible and they matter for us as we seek to run the race that God has given us. Last week we looked at a promise in Matthew 6; a promise that God would give peace. This week we are going to look at how God gives rest.

Rest is a hard concept for us at times. Rest does not mean the absence of doing things necessarily. Rest also is different from busyness though, so what is rest? Scripture shows us that rest is more than a physical state, rest is a spiritual matter. Isaiah 40 can show us good insight into rest.

Isaiah 40 is written as a declaration of God’s consistency in the face of any situation and verses 29-31 say:

“He gives strength to the faint and strengthens the powerless. Youths may become faint and weary, and young men stumble and fall, but those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not become weary, they will walk and not faint.”

There is much to unpack in these verses. We are going to look at three takeaways about God’s promise to give rest and His similar promise to strengthen us as we are persevering.

First, God gives rest and strength when we feel exhausted. In Isaiah 40:29, we see this example of how God gives strength to the faint and the powerless. The faint here are people who are exhausted and cannot continue. The powerless are people with no power. They are the downtrodden, the oft-overlooked, and the frequently taken advantage of. God gives rest and strength!

Second, God gives strength that exceeds any human strength. In verse 30, Isaiah prophecies about how God gives strength to young men. Young men are used here as an example of someone with great strength and endurance. Isaiah’s message from God is simple: God’s strength is greater than any measure of human strength.

Thirdly, God gives rest that is complete. In Isaiah 40:31, Isaiah paints a picture of how God will renew our strength while also saying, “They will soar on wings like eagles;” which has great application for our rest. God uses the example of an eagle flying here. This example is a good reminder that our rest comes from God and only from God and that at the same time, our rest is far beyond what anyone can create on their own.

So, what is the takeaway? Let me encourage you that it is important to take time off or to take time “to rest.” But let me encourage you that the ultimate takeaway is simpler than that. The ultimate solution to our need for true rest is relying on God and giving our cares, our stresses, and more to God rather than hanging onto them.

 Pastor Daniel