Heaven is My throne,
And earth is My footstool.
Where is the house that you will build Me?
And where is the place of My rest?
For all those things My hand has made,
And all those things exist,”
Says the Lord.
“But on this one will I look:
On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit,
And who trembles at My word. Isaiah 66:1-2
Our all powerful God is the creator of the heavens and earth, but His rest on the earth is dependent upon our rest! In the Old Testament times, God’s presence rested in the Tabernacle, but Isaiah spoke prophetically about God desiring the habitation of people’s hearts as His resting place.
The Lord is looking for His people as His resting place. Our hearts is the place of God’s habitation, reign, and rest! Those who are poor in spirit and proclaim that they can do nothing apart from God are the kinds of people that God can rest upon. He is seeking those who don’t get agitated easily but are humble in spirit. They trust in God’s ways and His timing. The Lord wants people who take Him at His word and are able to rest in faith and confidence in Him. When we are in the position of faith, humility, and dependence on the Lord, it makes us available and open vessels for God to have a place of rest in our lives!
In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his resting place will be glorious. Isaiah 11:10
Isaiah provided the answer as to how humanity will reach this place of rest. He spoke prophetically of the Messiah who was going to come from the family line of Jesse. He was going to bring salvation and deliverance from the hands of the enemy. He was going to rest upon His people and His resting place was going to be glorious!
When we come in faith to Jesus, we enter His rest! He is not expecting us to do more to be worthy of the relationship. We are no longer orphans and don’t earn the relationship by working at it. The Lord knows our needs and He wants us to look to Him and depend on Him with eyes of faith and humility. The Lord has a plan for our lives, and He will show us how to partner with Him. Our job is to make every effort to enter His rest and remain in it. This in turn allows God to having a resting place on the earth by inhabiting His people thereby His name is glorified on the earth! The fruit of resting in God will be evident as we fret less, don’t lean on our own understanding, and leave things in the Lord’s hands.
Praise God for the finished work of Jesus that allows us to rest in our relationship in Him! Jesus came to make us a restful habitation for God! As He rests upon us, His glory shines through his people! How marvelous are God’s works among His people! Those who are at rest in their spirit and in lifestyle are shining lights in a dark and stressful world. The testimony of this kind of life is bound to touch many who are looking for rest in their own lives!