237. Lord Gives Rest
2 Chronicles 14:6, 7 And he built fenced cities in Judah for the land had rest, and he had not war in those years, because the Lord had given him rest…Because we have sought the Lord our God, we have sought him, and he hath given us rest on every side. So they built and prospered.
Asa was a good and faithful king of Judah. There was peace and rest in his day, so he had time and resources to build defenses. He tore down the “high places,” (places for worship of false gods and demons), set an example of faithfulness to Yahweh, and restored the worship of the Lord God alone in the land. The consequence of getting the people to seek the Lord and keep the Law was peace and rest.
The story exemplifies the spiritual principle embedded in the universe: Meet the condition of faithfulness to the Lord and Law-keeping and God will give rest and peace. The promise is for us also in our daily lives. Be faithful and keep the commandments and God will give rest to your soul and peace in your heart. Peace and rest is such a valuable commodity one would think that we would do anything to attain such a way of living. But we don’t. We keep on sinning. For this reason we repent and turn to the Gospel again and again. Coming to Jesus is the way to peace and rest. And we never cease needing Jesus. Jesus says, “Come unto me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest…. You will find rest for your souls.”
The world around us, the sinful flesh in us, and Satan always lurking near us reminds us there is no rest for the weary, except in Jesus, who gives the soul its needed rest. There is a condition: seek the Lord; when we are “cumbered with a load of care” we come to the Lord in repentance and faith in the Gospel, and enter into rest, the kind of rest that God gives to the soul, which is wracked with mind, will, and emotions that are twisted and muddled causing a heavy burden. God will give rest.