Taking a Hike Through Hebrews
We were all ready for a quick trip to another town to see Randy’s grandmother who was quite ill in the hospital. We thought of everything to take for our toddlers so we could keep them busy and clean. We thought we had it all together until the car sputtered and died along the side of the highway. No gas. Tank was empty. We forgot to fill up for the journey.
In our race to get where we are going we forget to fill up on faith that we will get there only by the grace of God, through Jesus Christ, His Son. We disqualify ourselves through disobedience, going our own way, by our own methods and never get where God is. God promises an eternity with Him, rest in Him, forever. But along with the promises requires our all our faith in Him in the journey to get where we are going.
Hebrews 4, The Message
When Promises of God are Mixed with Our Faith
1-3 For as long, then, as that promise of resting in him pulls us on to God’s goal for us, we need to be careful that we’re not disqualified. We received the same promises as those people in the wilderness, but the promises didn’t do them a bit of good because they didn’t receive the promises with faith. If we believe, though, we’ll experience that state of resting. But not if we don’t have faith. Remember that God said,
Exasperated, I vowed,
“They’ll never get where they’re going,
never be able to sit down and rest.”
3-7 God made that vow, even though he’d finished his part before the foundation of the world. Somewhere it’s written, “God rested the seventh day, having completed his work,” but in this other text he says, “They’ll never be able to sit down and rest.” So this promise has not yet been fulfilled. Those earlier ones never did get to the place of rest because they were disobedient. God keeps renewing the promise and setting the date as today, just as he did in David’s psalm, centuries later than the original invitation:
Today, please listen,
don’t turn a deaf ear . . .
8-11 And so this is still a live promise. It wasn’t canceled at the time of Joshua; otherwise, God wouldn’t keep renewing the appointment for “today.” The promise of “arrival” and “rest” is still there for God’s people. God himself is at rest. And at the end of the journey we’ll surely rest with God. So let’s keep at it and eventually arrive at the place of rest, not drop out through some sort of disobedience.
12-13 God means what he says. What he says goes. His powerful Word is sharp as a surgeon’s scalpel, cutting through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey. Nothing and no one is impervious to God’s Word. We can’t get away from it—no matter what.
What do we learn?
–God knows the extent of our faith. Do we? Evaluate and meditate on the depths of our faith. Grow in faith as a result.
–Don’t quit, now…keep going!
Dear Heavenly Father, Hallowed is Your Name. You are God and we are not. We believe in what you say and are headed in Your direction. Keep us on the path no matter where it takes us so we can get to where you are. That is our goal! Thank you, dear Lord, for helping us the day we ran out of gas, by sending someone quickly to help us. We were back on the road in no time…all because of You and Your Presence in our lives. We trust in You alone. ALL of faith is in You. Thank you for growing those toddlers up to be people of faith, too!
In Jesus Name, Amen
