Firstly, can anyone think why these last verses in 2 Timothy weren't included in yesterday's reading? I though it odd to read those last closing verses and then switch to a completely different book. Whatever.
Secondly, I think I'd rather do another predestination post than discuss Hebrews!!! ACK.
Okay, now that I've gotten those things off my chest....
Because Hebrews scares me even more than Romans, and because I kinda left this to the last minute this week, I don't have much to say. The author begins the book by giving certain proofs of Christ's supremacy ~ here we see arguments for Him being superior to angels, and that though He came in human form, He is even greater than Moses. But before launching into also being greater than the Old Testament Priesthood, which we'll read tomorrow, the writer to the Hebrews seems to go on a bit of a tangent. He suddenly issues a warning to people who've heard lots about Christ, who've listened to sermon after sermon, but who haven't transitioned from hearing and enjoying the Gospel to true faith in Christ.
I think this passage may be the biggest argument for those who don't feel it's the "right time" to commit their lives to Christ.
The Exodus Israelites knew all about God. They heard Him speak through the prophets and saw His incredible works. Yet they didn't enter the rest of the Promised Land because they didn't fully possess what they professed.
The Promised Land Israelites didn't get the rest they thought they would in the land of Caanan either, because once again, they didn't continually trust God.
Countless regular church attenders from ages past, from the present, and probably also from the future, will not enter the promised rest of God because their knowledge of God never became faith IN God.
Jesus says, in Matthew 7: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’”
God promises us rest, but only if we place our trust in Him. And He doesn't promise we'll have any better time ~ or any other time but today. Right now. This is a dire warning to those who've complacently sat through church services all their lives, thinking they've done and are doing all that is required.
In Revelation 3:20, the resurrected Christ says: "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me."
And the writer to the Hebrews says: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts."
James 4:14 says: "Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes."
Tomorrow's passages: Hebrews 4:14-7:28
2 comments:
Great post, Tammi! That complacency of thinking "I don't have to do it now... I can do it later," is definitely something I've struggled with in the past... less so now, but you still find it creeping in once in a while.
I found myself reading the last portion of the passage about rest and thinking to myself that I can hardly wait for that promised rest. All the other joys of heaven sometimes seem to pale in comparison to the perfect peace and rest for my soul that will be found with God. Maybe I'm just grasping that firmly with both hands today because I work two jobs on Thursdays and so on Fridays I'm tired... but there are definitely days where all I want is just rest. Rest. Peace. Just for a little while. I can hardly wait.
So true Tammi.
We need to remember that waiting to choose, or not choosing IS the choice. And it's most certainly the wrong one!
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