Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Hebrews 4:1-11.

 

“¹ Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it.  ² For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also;  but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard.  ³ For we who have believed enter that rest, just as He has said,

although His works were finished from the foundation of the world.  ⁴ For He has said somewhere concerning the seventh day:  “And God rested on the seventh day from all His works”;  ⁵ and again in this passage, “They shall not enter My rest.”  ⁶ Therefore, since it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly had good news preached to them failed to enter because of disobedience,  ⁷ He again fixes a certain day, “Today,” saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before,

⁸ For if Joshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken of another day after that.  ⁹ So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God.  ¹⁰ For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His.  ¹¹ Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience.”  Hebrews 4:1-11.

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Notice how proud so many are when they say:  “I am so busy!”  They may think they are making progress in their lives.  They may be in fact be busy.  They may be working hard.  They may even be zealous about their work.  But, all they are doing is like Israel wandering through the desert.

Martha was busy, even serving others.  Martha’s sister Mary was “seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word”.  Martha complained:  “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone?  Then tell her to help me.”  But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things;  but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”  See Luke 10:38-42.

Jesus said:  “Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.”  Therefore they said to Him, “What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?”  Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”  John 6:27-29.

Some may protest:  “But, we are busy serving the Lord!”  Paul recognized this about his Jewish kinsman:  “For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge.  For not knowing about God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.  For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.”  Romans 10:2-4.  And, this zealous, busy, hard-working pursuit of self-righteousness is common among those who claim to be Christians as well. 

And others may strive for self-improvement.  But, Paul admonishes them as well:  “Are you so foolish?  Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?  Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?  So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?”  Galatians 3:3-5.

“⁵ Thus says the Lord,
“Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind
And makes flesh his strength,
And whose heart turns away from the Lord.
⁶ “For he will be like a bush in the desert
And will not see when prosperity comes,
But will live in stony wastes in the wilderness,
A land of salt without inhabitant.

⁷ “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord
And whose trust is the Lord.
⁸ “For he will be like a tree planted by the water,
That extends its roots by a stream
And will not fear when the heat comes;
But its leaves will be green,
And it will not be anxious in a year of drought
Nor cease to yield fruit.”  Jeremiah 17:5-8.

“Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due.  ⁵ But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness, ⁶ just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: