Text: Hebrews 4:9–10 (NKJV)
“There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.”
The theme of this year’s Lenten reflection is “Grace and Truth” (John 1:16–17), and one of the greatest expressions of both grace and truth is the finished work of Christ. The passage in Hebrews reminds believers that there is a divine rest available to God’s people—a rest that comes not through human effort but through faith in what Christ has already accomplished.
From the beginning, humanity has struggled under the burden of trying to achieve righteousness through personal effort. The law revealed God’s standards but could not give the power to fulfill them perfectly. As a result, people often lived under anxiety, guilt, and spiritual striving. However, the coming of Christ changed everything. Through His sacrificial death and victorious resurrection, Jesus completed the work of redemption once and for all. When He declared on the cross, “It is finished” (John 19:30), He announced the completion of the work necessary for our salvation.
Hebrews 4 speaks of a rest that remains for believers. This rest is more than physical rest; it is spiritual peace that comes from trusting completely in Christ’s finished work. Just as God rested on the seventh day after completing creation (Genesis 2:2), believers enter into rest when they stop striving to earn God’s acceptance and instead rely fully on the grace provided through Jesus Christ.
Many Christians struggle with inner unrest because they continue to depend on their own works, achievements, or religious performance to secure God’s favor. But the gospel teaches that our peace comes from trusting in what Christ has already done. Salvation is not achieved through human merit but received through faith. When we truly grasp this truth, our hearts are liberated from the burden of self-effort and filled with assurance.
Trusting the finished work of Christ brings several dimensions of peace. First, it brings peace with God. Romans 5:1 says, “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” The hostility caused by sin has been removed through Christ’s sacrifice.
Second, it brings peace within the heart. When we stop striving to prove ourselves worthy and instead rely on God’s grace, our conscience is calmed and our faith becomes steady. Hebrews 10:22 encourages believers to draw near to God with a true heart in full assurance of faith.
Third, it produces confidence in our spiritual walk. Knowing that Christ has completed the work of redemption does not lead to laziness but to gratitude-driven obedience. Our service to God becomes an expression of love rather than an attempt to earn acceptance.
During this Lenten season, believers are invited to reflect deeply on the sufficiency of Christ’s sacrifice. The cross reminds us that our salvation is secure in Him alone. Fasting and prayer should therefore lead us not into anxiety about our spiritual performance but into deeper trust in the grace made available through Jesus.
Entering God’s rest means surrendering our self-reliance and embracing the peace that comes from faith in Christ. It means believing that His sacrifice is sufficient, His grace is abundant, and His promises are trustworthy.
May this truth fill our hearts with lasting peace as we rest in the finished work of our Lord and Saviour.
Pastor Ebenezer Adeyinka Daramola
Prayer Points:
- Thank You, Lord, for the finished work on the cross, by whose wounds we are healed, in Jesus’ name. (John 19:28-30).
- Thank You, God, for the ultimate victory secured by Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, which secured our peace with God and freedom from sin in Jesus’ name. (Colossians 2:14-15).
- Thank You God, for making us a new creation in Christ, and setting us free from the power of sin, and enabling us to live righteously in Jesus’ name. (2 Corinthians 5:17).
- Father, forgive our sins of unbelief that we are already worthy, holy, and blameless through Christ in Jesus’ name. (John 8:24).
- Father, defend us from every voice of accusation, from the adversary or from our mind, in Jesus’ name. (Revelation 12:10).
- Father, increase our faith in Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins, and access to the healing power of Christ, in Jesus’ name. (1 Peter 2:24).
- Lord, silence every voice of doubt and unbelief in our lives. Quicken Your words of truth in our lives and give us the power to obey them in Jesus’ name. (John 16:13).
- Father, equip us with Your lasting strength to abide in You, and not in our own striving, in Jesus’ name. (Psalm 73:26; John 8:31-32).
- Lord, give us the grace to walk in the freedom, peace and purpose You have designed for us in Jesus’ name. (Psalm 119:45-48).
- Father, renew our joy of salvation and give us a new understanding of what the cross means in Jesus’ name. (Hebrews 12:1-2).
- Father, let our lives be a living testimony of Your mercy and power, glorifying You in Jesus’ name. (Acts 26:19).
- Lord, fill our mind and soul with Your perfect peace which surpasses all human understanding, in Jesus’ name. (John 14:27).
- Father, we declare that by Christ’s wounds, we are healed. We trust God’s words for our physical and spiritual well-being in Jesus’ name. (Isaiah 53:5; John 8:31-32).
- Father, give us the grace to trust in Your promises of healing and freedom from sins and condemnation, in Jesus’ name. (Romans 8:1-
2).
- We thank You, God, for the finished work of Jesus on the cross of Calvary. Through His sacrifice, all our pains and suffering have been ended, in Jesus’ name. (Galatians 3:13-14).
