Radically at Rest

Monday, 10th December 2007

Several years ago, I used to envy those who worked in organisations where there were lots of Christians. A dear brother of mine shared about how he and his colleagues would have regular times of prayer and worship together, and I had longed for that to take place in my department as well.

Taking this type of thinking to its logical extension, the most ideal place to work in would be a church, where every single one of one's colleagues would be a Christian.

But I now know much better...

The writer of the book of Hebrews, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, draws a parallel in chapter 4 between the nation of Israel and us as new-covenant believers this side of the cross. Whereas the Israelites were promised a physical piece of land in the form of Canaan, we today are promised God's rest.

We read in Ex 3:8, Ex 13:3 et al that God provided the Israelites a land flowing with milk and honey. We read further in Deut 6:10-11 that this land had large, flourishing cities they did not build, houses filled with all kinds of good things they did not provide, wells they did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves they did not plant. Everything was there for them for the taking, they just had to step out to possess the land by faith.

So it is with us as beneficiaries of the new covenant. Instead of a physical "land", God promises His children "rest". It does not mean that we do not need to work, but what it means is that our work is one that is stress-free, comfortable and enjoyable.

And that is exactly what I am experiencing right now, praise be to God!

In my previous company, I was working much harder and putting way longer hours, staying late on weekdays and even going back to the office on weekends. Yet, my increment was only 3% annualised. There was even a year when I received a NINB (no increment no bonus) letter.

Since joining this company in Jan 2005, I have gotten increments 5 times already (3 in the past 13 months) and my increment is about 15% annualised. My year-end bonuses for this year and last year are the highest ever. And the sweet irony is that I am putting in lesser hours than compared to my previous job. In fact, I have not left the office after 6pm for more than a year already! That allows me to fetch my wife to work in the morning, and fetch her back from work in the evening, every single working day!

Some of you may be wondering how is this possible. Well, it is the same explanation as to why those Israelites did not have to labour to stay in big houses, or to drink from large wells, or to eat from huge vineyards and olive plants. The people of the world built those houses. The people of the world dug those wells. The people of the world planted those trees.

Let's apply that to today's context. Sure, somebody has to operate the MRT on Sundays. Sure, somebody has to work overtime or around the clock. Sure, somebody has to travel frequently around the region. But that somebody does not have to be YOU, dear child of Abba Father.

Which brings me back to the point I was trying to make in the first paragraph. Those of us that work in the marketplace need to realise that the secular organisation that we work in needs to have both new-covenant believers and people of the world in order that the above principle can operate :-)

God has promised you rest, and if your current job is taking time away from your family, or from spending time with God Himself, then that job is definitely not what God wants for you.

May we be radically at rest, because that is the position that Abba Father wants us His children to be in. Amen?