Let my soul be at rest again,
for the Lord has been good to me.
Psalm 116:7 (NLT)
Series: An Invitation to Rest
Some things just go together! Chocolate and peanut butter. Coffee and cream. Pumpkin and spice. Are you hungry yet? Let’s think of some other examples. A cozy blanket and a good book. Needle and thread. Sunshine and fresh air. How about people and relationships? Often, opposites attract and make great relationships. Where one is weak, the other is strong, and so they complement each other well.
Authors have penned many songs and poems about these connections and combinations. While perfect pairs are fun to think about (and sing about! “We go together like….”), let’s dive into the BEST partnership ever—God and us!
In his letter to the Philippians, Paul wrote:
It is God who is at work in you, both to desire and to work for His good pleasure.
(Philippians 2:13 NASB)
And, in his first letter to the church in Corinth, he wrote:
For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.
(1 Corinthians 3:9 NIV)
We are not alone in any moment of our lives, including during our work. God is with us always and He works in us, through us, and for us as we partner with Him. We can stop striving and cease from working in our own strength. When we enter into a relationship with our Father, through Jesus, our Savior, we can trust God’s strength, power, and ability to work through us.
God is faithful, and He equips all whom He has called. We can rest—even in our work—knowing He has purposed us and gifted us with all we need to succeed (2 Corinthians 9:8).
God showed us this example in Creation. In Genesis 1 and 2, we read how God worked six days, and then He rested. Adam tended the garden, harvested food, named the animals, and ruled over God’s creation. Adam worked. God and Adam both saw that their work was good. They were satisfied with their work.
Throughout the Old Testament, we learn David was a man of war and a man after God’s own heart. He was unmatched in victories—because the Lord had purposed Him to be so. While operating in his purpose and his gifting, even while “working,” David rested in God’s ability, provision, and purpose. David’s victories in war purchased peace and prosperity for his son, Soloman.
Soloman was a man of rest. He lived in the goodness of his father’s provision. He was rich, wise, and had peace on every side. Soloman built the house of the Lord—the temple—with intricate detail, surpluses of material, and every skilled worker needed. God was with Soloman, just as He was with David—to fulfill His purpose in them and through them.
The lives of David and Soloman are a prophetic picture of Jesus and New Testament believers. Jesus fought the battle for us and defeated the enemy. Satan is a defeated foe. The work is finished. Now we, like Soloman, can live in the goodness of our Father’s provision. Every need is met and we have peace on every side. We are the temple of God—wonderfully made as His masterpiece—and we are seated with Christ in a place of victory.
Paul echoes this truth in 1 Corinthians 1:9 (NLT):
God is faithful to do what He says, and He has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
We will continue to create, work, and build as God ordains. As we partner with God, we can do all from a position of rest. Our bodies, minds, souls, and spirits can enjoy peace because Jesus finished the work. We carry victory, peace, rest—JESUS—with us everywhere we go. We are seated with Him. No more toil. Let’s partner with Him and operate in our gifts from the place of rest He has already provided. Jesus and us. Like bread and butter, we make the perfect pair!
Holding Fast to Hope,
Maryann
Scripture References: Psalm 116:7; Philippians 2:13; 1 Corinthians 1:9, 3:9; 2 Corinthians 9:8; Genesis 1-2; 1 Samuel 21:1-7; 2 Samuel 7:1-3; 1 Chronicles 22:6-19; John 19:30; Ephesians 2:1-10
