Strive to enter rest?

We live in a time of busyness!  It sometimes takes sickness to slow me down so that my body can get the rest it needs (as has been the case this past week).  I’m finally getting better and now face a crazy intense “to do” list!  I leave for the Amazon in 6 days and must write 30 pages of papers in the meantime… plus go to class, meetings, work, etc.  And of course, I can not neglect continuing to prepare spiritually for what God has for me to do on this trip! 

I’m glad to have been recently reminded through my time in the Scriptures that God is a giver of rest!  In fact, only in Him can true rest be found. 

Today I was grabbed by a phrase in Hebrews 4. “Let us therefore strive to enter that rest…”  Strive to enter rest?

Websters defines strive as “to devote serious effort or energy” and rest as “freedom from activity or labor” or “a state of motionlessness or inactivity.” 

At first glance they seem like two things that do not belong together!  But we are told that we need to strive to enter rest! 

As I continued thinking on it, I realized it does make sense … we always have to do a lot of preperation before we go on a vacation.  Getting to a place of rest takes work… whether we’re talking physical or spiritual…

Spiritually, rest comes through Christ.  We cannot have it if we do not believe.  Knowledge and faith in Him lead to believing actions … and rest. 

I have 30 pages to write… but I have rest as I walk with Jesus and strive to know Him and please Him in all I do.