Rest in the Promises of Our Faithful God
By: David McFadden
Giving Tribute to the Great Men and Women of God
“My people shall dwell in quiet resting places.”—Isaiah 32:18
Peace and rest are not promised to the unregenerate, they are the peculiar possession of the Lord’s people, and of them only. The God of Peace gives perfect peace to those whose hearts are stayed upon Him — "My people.” When man was unfallen, God gave Adam the flowery bowers of Eden as his quiet resting places; alas! How soon sin blighted the fair abode of innocence.
In the day of universal wrath when the flood swept away a guilty race, Noah and the chosen family were quietly secured in the resting-place of the ark, which floated them from the old condemned world into the new earth of the rainbow and the covenant, herein typifying Jesus, the ark of our salvation. When the destroying angel smote the first-born, Israel, the Hebrew nation, rested safely beneath their blood-besprinkled door-posts and habitations of Egypt. And in the wilderness, the shadow of the pillar of cloud, and the flowing rock, gave the weary pilgrims sweet repose.
At this hour we rest in the promises of our faithful God, knowing that His words are full of truth and power; we rest in the doctrines of His Word, which are consolation itself. We rest in the covenant of His grace, which is a haven of delight. More highly favored are we than David in Adullam, or Jonah beneath his gourd, for none can invade or destroy our shelter.
The person of Jesus is the quiet resting-place of His people, and when we draw near to Him in the breaking of the bread, in the hearing of the Word, the searching of the Scriptures, prayer, or praise, we find any form of approach to Him to be the return of peace to our spirits.
“I hear the words of love, I gaze upon the blood,
I see the mighty sacrifice, and I have peace with God.
'Tis everlasting peace, sure as Jehovah's name,
'Tis stable as His steadfast throne, for evermore the same:
The clouds may go and come, and storms may sweep my sky,
This blood-sealed friendship changes not, the cross is ever nigh.”
—Charles H. Spurgeon, adapted from Spurgeon's Morning & Evening, Inc. All rights reserved.
Taking God’s Word Back to Him
Heavenly Father, thank You for all-encompassing peace that is beyond my understanding. You are an awesome God who protects and cares for Your People. Thank You that because of Jesus, I can be counted among those who rest in Your love and Grace — I rest in Jesus and His blood-bought Sozo, given for me; He is the ark of my salvation. LORD, I choose to rest in the covenant of Your grace, which is a haven of delight. I choose to believe that I am more highly favored than David, a man known to pursue Your heart’s desires. I seek the quiet resting-place of drawing near to You in the breaking of the bread, in the hearing of the Word, the searching of the Scriptures, in seeking You in prayer, and offering praises to You, knowing that in You I return to peace in my spirit. I ask this in Jesus’ precious name. Amen.
Excerpted and adapted from David McFadden’s “Deeper Life Series”.
For more articles from this series go to: https://www.deeperlifeseries.com/devotional-archive
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