Rest

My daily reading this morning brought me to Hebrews 4, with its stirring final sentence:

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

I don't have much time this morning, but I think I'd like to settle right here for the next couple of posts. The author's extended disquisition on the subject of "rest" raises many questions in my mind. For example what is the place of "striving" in the Christian life? Or to put it another way, what sort of striving is approved and encouraged by God, and what sort is disapproved and discouraged? How does one strive to enter into rest? And what is the connection between rest and grace? More on these matters in the days to come.