Encouragement to live by – Hebrews 13

There is so much encouragement to live by found in this chapter:

Verse 1: continue to love one another – this is what brings others to Christ.

Verse 2: show hospitality to strangers – back in the day, inns were expensive and this is a way the gospel was spread – and just ask Abraham and about entertaining Angels?! I know it still happens today. Hospitality, not just for the sake of hospitality, but with the purpose of sharing Christ.

Verse 3: have empathy for prisoners and those who are ill-treated – know anybody like this? We are to suffer with them (2 Timothy 1:16, I Corinthians 12:26)

Verse 4: let marriage be held in honor, and let the marriage bed be undefiled – ’nuff said.

Verse 5: your character – free from the love of money and content with what you have – all you need is everything Christ has. If you’ve ever been to that place where He’s all you have, you’ll find it’s more than enough. the more we have, the harder it is to depend upon Him.

Verse 6: If the King of the Universe is on our side, what can mere mortals do to us?

Verse 7: imitate the faith of those who lead you – made me think here. I have only a few men of faith I can honestly say I’d like to imitate. what about you?

Verse 8: Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever – one of the most frustrating things at work is the flip-flop style of management. one day we do it this way, the next another, without so much as an explanation. I’m glad my God is stable, a firm rock, upon which I can always find security.

Skipping down to:

Verse 15: let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God – we are no longer required to offer blood sacrifices, but we are asked to give a sacrifice of praise, offering ourselves, laying down our lives daily, setting aside our desires to follow him. And, out of gratitude for our forgiveness. In so doing, we’re proclaiming the glory due His name. Do the people at our workplaces see us laying down our life, setting aside our desires and praising God? Lord, help me in this area.

Verse 17: Obey your spiritual leaders. Biggie here for my life. It’s so much easier to grumble and complain about the leadership in a church (or of a nation). We are to honor and obey our leadership. If we feel they are wrong, we are to pray they will change or that God would change our hearts – because HE has placed them in leadership. By complaining and gossiping and stirring up strife, we are telling God that he doesn’t know what He’s doing. Father, forgive me.

This is a rich chapter full of truth for the way we ought to live. I’m glad to have had a chance to go through the book of Hebrews again!

peace,
e