14The wrath of a king is a messenger of death, but a wise man will pacify it. 15When a king’s face brightens, there is life; his favor is like a rain cloud in spring. 16How much better to acquire wisdom than gold! To gain understanding is more desirable than silver. 17The highway of the upright leads away from evil; he who guards his way protects his life. 18Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. 19It is better to be lowly in spirit among the humble than to divide the spoil with the proud. 20Whoever heeds instruction will find success, and blessed is he who trusts in the LORD. 21The wise in heart are called discerning, and pleasant speech promotes instruction. 22Understanding is a fountain of life to its possessor, but the discipline of fools is folly.
New Testament·Hebrews 4
1Therefore, while the promise of entering His rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be deemed to have fallen short of it. 2For we also received the good news just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, since they did not share the faith of those who comprehended it. 3Now we who have believed enter that rest. As for the others, it is just as God has said: “So I swore on oath in My anger, ‘They shall never enter My rest.’” And yet His works have been finished since the foundation of the world. 4For somewhere He has spoken about the seventh day in this manner: “And on the seventh day God rested from all His works.” 5And again, as He says in the passage above: “They shall never enter My rest.” 6Since, then, it remains for some to enter His rest, and since those who formerly heard the good news did not enter because of their disobedience, 7God again designated a certain day as “Today,” when a long time later He spoke through David as was just stated: “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” 8For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. 9There remains, then, a Sabbath rest for the people of God. 10For whoever enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from His. 11Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following the same pattern of disobedience. 12For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it pierces even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight; everything is uncovered and exposed before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. 14Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we profess. 15For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who was tempted in every way that we are, yet was without sin. 16Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Old Testament·Lamentations 5; Ezekiel 1
1Remember, O LORD, what has happened to us. Look and see our disgrace! 2Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers, our houses to foreigners. 3We have become fatherless orphans; our mothers are widows. 4We must buy the water we drink; our wood comes at a price. 5We are closely pursued; we are weary and find no rest. 6We submitted to Egypt and Assyria to get enough bread. 7Our fathers sinned and are no more, but we bear their punishment. 8Slaves rule over us; there is no one to deliver us from their hands. 9We get our bread at the risk of our lives because of the sword in the wilderness. 10Our skin is as hot as an oven with fever from our hunger. 11Women have been ravished in Zion, virgins in the cities of Judah. 12Princes have been hung up by their hands; elders receive no respect. 13Young men toil at millstones; boys stagger under loads of wood. 14The elders have left the city gate; the young men have stopped their music. 15Joy has left our hearts; our dancing has turned to mourning. 16The crown has fallen from our head. Woe to us, for we have sinned! 17Because of this, our hearts are faint; because of these, our eyes grow dim— 18because of Mount Zion, which lies desolate, patrolled by foxes. 19You, O LORD, reign forever; Your throne endures from generation to generation. 20Why have You forgotten us forever? Why have You forsaken us for so long? 21Restore us to Yourself, O LORD, so we may return; renew our days as of old, 22unless You have utterly rejected us and remain angry with us beyond measure.
1In the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was among the exiles by the River Kebar, the heavens opened and I saw visions of God. 2On the fifth day of the month—it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin— 3the word of the LORD came directly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the River Kebar. And there the LORD’s hand was upon him. 4I looked and saw a whirlwind coming from the north, a great cloud with fire flashing back and forth and brilliant light all around it. In the center of the fire was a gleam like amber, 5and within it was the form of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: They had a human form, 6but each had four faces and four wings. 7Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the hooves of a calf, gleaming like polished bronze. 8Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands. All four living creatures had faces and wings, 9and their wings were touching one another. They did not turn as they moved; each one went straight ahead. 10The form of their faces was that of a man, and each of the four had the face of a lion on the right side, the face of an ox on the left side, and also the face of an eagle. 11Such were their faces. Their wings were spread upward; each had two wings touching the wings of the creature on either side, and two wings covering its body. 12Each creature went straight ahead. Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, without turning as they moved. 13In the midst of the living creatures was the appearance of glowing coals of fire, or of torches. Fire moved back and forth between the living creatures; it was bright, and lightning flashed out of it. 14The creatures were darting back and forth as quickly as flashes of lightning. 15When I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the ground beside each creature with its four faces. 16The workmanship of the wheels looked like the gleam of beryl, and all four had the same likeness. Their workmanship looked like a wheel within a wheel. 17As they moved, they went in any of the four directions, without pivoting as they moved. 18Their rims were high and awesome, and all four rims were full of eyes all around. 19So as the living creatures moved, the wheels moved beside them, and when the creatures rose from the ground, the wheels also rose. 20Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, and the wheels would rise alongside them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. 21When the creatures moved, the wheels moved; when the creatures stood still, the wheels stood still; and when the creatures rose from the ground, the wheels rose alongside them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. 22Spread out above the heads of the living creatures was the likeness of an awesome expanse, gleaming like crystal. 23And under the expanse, their wings stretched out toward one another. Each one also had two wings covering its body. 24When the creatures moved, I heard the sound of their wings like the roar of many waters, like the voice of the Almighty, like the tumult of an army. When they stood still, they lowered their wings. 25And there came a voice from above the expanse over their heads as they stood still with their wings lowered. 26Above the expanse over their heads was the likeness of a throne with the appearance of sapphire, and on the throne high above was a figure like that of a man. 27From what seemed to be His waist up, I saw a gleam like amber, with what looked like fire within it all around. And from what seemed to be His waist down, I saw what looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded Him. 28The appearance of the brilliant light all around Him was like that of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell facedown and heard a voice speaking.
Reflect
Where are you being invited to rest instead of strive?