Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts. (Heb. 4:7)
I grew up in the church. My family attended almost every Sunday morning, Sunday evening, and Wednesday evening. We learned at a young age the importance of a worship service, youth group, and testimony-sharing time. You had better have a good excuse if you were going to miss church.
I’m also the firstborn in my family, a rule-follower to a “T,” and honest to a fault. Although I grew up hearing about Jesus, I thought my basis for entering heaven was just to be a “good girl”—the best version of myself I could be. Salvation by grace through faith in Jesus never really entered my mind. Sure, I knew about Jesus. But I didn’t know him until age 19. One night in July of 1999, the meaning of the gospel became real to me in a sports arena full of teenagers. I accepted Jesus as my Savior at an international youth event in Toronto, Canada.
God led the Israelites to the Promised Land, and they were disobedient in the process. He gives us the same opportunity to enter into his rest, through Jesus, but we must respond by faith in obedience. And we must make that decision today—rather than tomorrow. Will we continue wandering through this life apart from him or take him up on his free gift of grace?
Enter into Jesus’ rest!
Tricia Rife lives in Indianapolis with her husband, Adam, and son, Andrew. She loves taking regular trips to Walt Disney World.
© 2019 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission.
Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
