Making the Omer Count – Countdown to Pentecost

1 Corinthians 14:1 “Eagerly pursue and seek to acquire [this] love [make it your aim, your great quest]; and earnestly desire and cultivate the spiritual endowments (gifts), especially that you may prophesy (interpret the divine will and purpose in inspired preaching and teaching).”

The Greek word for earnestly desire implies the following: to burn with zeal; to be heated or to boil with; to be zealous in the pursuit of good; to desire earnestly, pursue; to desire one earnestly, to strive after, busy one’s self about him; to exert one’s self for one (that he may not be torn from me).

Notice that it uses the word “strive.” It’s the same Greek word word used in Revelation 3:19 “So be enthusiastic and in earnest and burning with zeal and repent [changing your mind and attitude].” A similar idea is conveyed in the Greek translation of Hebrews 4:11: “Let us therefore be zealous and exert ourselves and strive diligently to enter that rest [of God, to know and experience it for ourselves], that no one may fall or perish by the same kind of unbelief and disobedience [into which those in the wilderness fell].” The Greek word used in this passage is defined as: “to make haste; earnestness in accomplishing, promoting, or striving after anything; to give all diligence, interest one’s self most earnestly.” This Greek word is even more specific. It’s saying make haste, don’t waste any time, striving after accomplishing, with diligence – to enter the rest of God.

Yet, How does one enter this rest? The answer lies in the next verse: Hebrews 4:12 For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing, and effective]; it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the breath of life (soul) and [the immortal] spirit, and of joints and marrow [of the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart. The answer? Connect the two verses: make haste to accomplish, striving after with all diligence and interest – to Enter the Word of God. Given the context you could say, Make haste, strive after, and give all diligence to running into His Sword!

Did you catch the definition for striving used in 1 Cor. 14:1? To exert one’s self for one (that he may not be torn from me). There are two kinds of faith in our lives. Active faith and passive faith. But guess what? There’s nothing passive about striving, being in earnest, being zealous, or having diligent faith. This kind of faith doesn’t suffer even the possibility of being torn away from the One – Who burns with fire. Which you can rest assured (no pun intended) Jesus is zealous for His Father, His kingdom, and for us. Since Jesus is zealous, in earnest, diligent in pursuing us don’t you think for a moment that He is not striving after. He is the Word and no One has strived more to enter, become, and be His Father’s Word. Remember Jesus only did what He saw His Father doing. Only said what His Father said. And as Hebrews 5:8-9 state: Although He was a Son, He learned [active, special] obedience through what He suffered and, [His completed experience] making Him perfectly [equipped], He became the Author and Source of eternal salvation to all those who give heed and obey Him,…

If you are going to make His Omer Count then you will recognize and realize – the Rest of God. Where will you find the “Rest” of God? The “Rest of God” will not be found simply in ceasing  from activity. Why? Because the “Rest of God” is the “More” of God. The “More” found in a pursuit of the Spirit, the Gifts (He is the Gifts), Holy Spirit Love, hearing and recognizing the ways God speaks. These are just a few.

Question is, Are you making haste, striving, being diligent, zealous, boiling over – for the “Rest of God”? Are you seeking to exert yourself that He will not be torn from you; that the “Rest” He has for you will not be torn away? Some may object that we could never be torn from God. There’s some truth in that but John 15 implies a different perspective. “If you abide in Me…If you can abide in Jesus then there is the great possibility that you may not. In fact John 15:4 in the NIV states: Remain in me, as I also remain in you. Are you remaining in the Rest of God?