Hebrews 4:1 "Therefore we must be wary that, while the promise of entering his rest remains open, none of you may seem to have come short of it. 4:2 For we had good news proclaimed to us just as they did. But the message they heard did them no good, since they did not join in with those who heard it in faith. 4:3 For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said, “As I swore in my anger, ‘They will never enter my rest!’” And yet God’s works were accomplished from the foundation of the world. 4:4 For he has spoken somewhere about the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works,” 4:5 but to repeat the text cited earlier: “They will never enter my rest!” 4:6 Therefore it remains for some to
enter it, yet those to whom it was previously proclaimed did not enter because of disobedience. 4:7 So God again ordains a certain day, “Today,” speaking through David after so long a time, as in the words quoted before, “O, that today you would listen as he speaks! Do not harden your hearts.” 4:8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken afterward about another day. 4:9 Consequently a Sabbath rest remains for the people of God. 4:10 For the one who enters God’s rest has also rested from his works, just as God did from his own works. 4:11 Thus we must make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by following the same pattern of disobedience. 4:12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper
than any double-edged sword, piercing even to the point of dividing soul from spirit, and joints from marrow;it is able to judge the desires and thoughts of the heart. 4:13 And no creature is hidden from God, but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must render an account. 4:14 Therefore since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. 4:15 For we do not have a high priest incapable of sympathizing with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way just as we are, yet without sin. 4:16 Therefore let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace whenever we need
help."
God rested also, but I don’t think it was the kind of rest we think of. He rested because his plans were complete and set into motion. I have wondered why God, knowing ahead of time what would inevitably happen, created free-willed human beings. Why would he subject himself to such frustrations? I suppose he did it for a similar reason as when people decide to have children. Even though they know that parenthood is one of the most difficult tasks a human being can take on, and that the child will disappoint and disobey them, they choose to do it because of all the good stuff that comes out of it. To raise a child with your values and love them unconditionally, and to watch them grow up into a person full of potential – that is why parents have children. The icing on the cake is when they love you back. In the same way, I believe God wanted to have his children grow up with his values and be loved unconditionally. He knew that, even though we would have the ability to rebel against him, and in fact would do so, true love is born out of free-will.
Even though God knew our future before we were even created, he set everything in motion anyway. Why? Because God had a contingency plan. He knew that the only way for us to return home once we left was to go, find us, and bring us back. And he did this through the Incarnation of Jesus Christ – God in the flesh. He found us, wandering the streets with no money in our pockets, dirty clothes on our backs, a bounty on our heads, and he brought us home. And when we got back home, we slept for days and days.
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