"I Will Give You Rest"

It was a busy weekend. I went to a conference in Wales and came back late on the Saturday night, but could not then get off to sleep; I kept thinking about the following day, with sermons to preach at Salem Chapel in the morning, Burnley Evangelical Church in the afternoon and North Preston Evangelical Church in the evening. I am not writing this to elicit sympathy: preaching is my ‘job’ (and a joy); why should pastors not have long days at work like everyone else? No, my point is that I went to bed on Sunday night around 9.30pm, doubly tired- but guess what? -I still could not get to sleep. Mondays and Tuesdays are my days off and I had nothing planned for the morrow except a meeting with a church leader from Burnley. Although he stayed over four hours, it was a pleasant time, and not something that would have kept me awake, fretting. Yet that night I was still awake at 2am and then I woke up at my usual time of 5.30am. Can one be too tired to sleep? It sounds implausible but I am beginning to believe it.

Rest is precious. Little wonder that our wise and thoughtful Maker provided an entire day’s worth in the sabbath ordinance. ‘Rest’ is also a picture of our heavenly home. For example, in Hebrews 4:9:

There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God and also in Revelation 14:13:

And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.

I wonder therefore if hell, essentially being the opposite of heaven’s rest, is characterised by a hellish bustle, exertion and fatigue. From what, though? The torments of fire? The bitterness of rejecting Christ? The ever-present reality of unspent sin and endless corruption? Certainly. There are worse things to endure that some bad nights’ sleep, but a good kip is a welcome token of present peace and future rest.

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. Matthew 11:28-29

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