obey
“Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.”
Hebrews 3:12-14 ESV
Trusting God is the foundation of peace.
The author of Hebrews encourages us to guard our hearts from unbelief, like the hearts the Israelites demonstrated in the wilderness, for it is rooted in pride and deceives us into thinking we know what’s best. “Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness..as I swore in my wrath, they shall not enter my rest” (He 3:7-11).
While it’s often difficult to trust God, it’s not unreasonable. Trust is fact because God is not unknowable. If God is all knowing, all present, and all powerful, then trust is quite reasonable (Ps 118:8-9). Resistance gives anxiety and distress a seat at our table and it is this disobedience that kept the Israelites wandering for 40 years. When we release our cares into God’s hands, we are met with peace that surpasses understanding (Phil 4:6-7) and we enter His rest.
Today, while we still have the opportunity, let us obey God and walk in companionship with him so that we can enjoy the beautiful inheritance we have received! Let us encourage one another each and every day to persevere in faith. It’s ok to question. It’s ok to be human and acknowledge our limits and emotions. But don’t feed your doubt, friend. Feed your faith!
Let’s keep each other alert so unbelief doesn’t slow us down. Hebrews writes, “We have come to share in Christ IF we hold our original confidence firm to the end.” Perseverance is the sign that we have truly received Christ as our Savior. And isn’t he worthy friend? Our gentle high priest, faithful in everything God gave him to do.
Keep your mind on him, you will get to where you’re going and you will find rest for your soul.
additional reading:
Old Testament: Exodus 17:1-7, Psalms 78:40-41
New Testament: John 14:15, 16:33
reflect:
How are you feeding your faith consistently? Is there any resistance in your relationship with God?
centering prayer
LORD, keep me from stumbling. Help me to grow in my faith and encourage others in theirs. amen.
