Hebrews 6:9-11
The key words are: salvation, work, love, help, diligence, hope. The author contrasts laziness with faith and patience and parallels God's justice with his remembering the work of his children. The theme is faith, particularly the faith of our spiritual ancestors - a theme that the author will camp on in Hebrews 11 and 12. Another theme is the surety of our hope - a theme that the author will develop in the next couple of verses.
This section takes almost the opposite tone as the previous paragraphs: the previous paragraph being a dire warning and this paragraph being an encouragement to continue in the faith. The main thought is that, in light of the devastating consequences of falling away and the amazing hope if you hold on to faith, work hard to hold on to your faith.
This is a good affirmation for me. I do not feel in extreme danger of falling away from my faith, although I always need to be cautious because I know how weak I am; a few choices and changes in circumstances and my faith could be in extreme danger, apart from the grace of God. I need to work hard now, before my faith is in danger, to continue to solidify the foundations of my faith so that when the tough times come, I am ready and my faith can stand. Of course I recognize that while there is a human component to my faith - in other words, there are things that I am responsible for when it comes to my faith - it is Christ and his grace that ultimately sustains me. My work is to stay connected to him.
Showing posts with label hard work. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hard work. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Monday, October 5, 2009
Work Hard To Rest
Hebrews 4:6-11
The author continues his inductive study on Psalm 95:7-11 but specifically looking at verses 7-8 and 11. He is specifically studying the Sabbath rest of God. His line of reasoning goes as follows: God's promise is that humans can enter his Sabbath rest if they believe and obey his word. Since the Israelites did not enter his rest because they were disobedient, God's promise is still open and has not been fulfilled yet. Psalm 95:11 makes it clear that the promise has been extended to a period of time called "Today". If the Promised Land was the Promised Rest, then God's promise would have been fulfilled when Joshua led the people into the land. However, Psalm 95:11 was spoken through David and David comes after Joshua. The warning is written to the people alive in David's day. The author extends that warning to the present day since, according to the author, we are all still living in the time period called "Today". The promise of God, according to the author, is therefore still not completely fulfilled and there remains a Sabbath rest available to all those who do not harden their hearts when they hear the voice of God.
The application is that the author's audience should work hard to make sure that they enter into the Sabbath rest of God and avoid following the example of the ancestors of Israel. The application for me is the same: what am I hearing from God's word that I need to start obeying. By not obeying I am questioning the word of God (did God really mean that?) and the character of God (can God be trusted?). It is not enough to hear the word of God or even to agree with the word of God, I must act on it! I must not just believe it, it must become a conviction!
The other application for me is that there is a rest available to me that is experienced at some level today and more fully in eternity. It doesn't mean that I stop working but that the goal of my work is to experience the rest of God. So much of what I do is busy work. I don't want to appear lazy so I make sure I am busy - often for the sake of just doing something. This has become a badge of honour in our society. Do a test. If you ask someone how they are doing or how their summer/fall/weekend/week was, I bet that the next most common response, after some variation of "good", will be a variation of "busy". I want there to be, at the core of my being and presence, a sense of rest and refreshment because I have tasted and, to at least a small degree, live in the Sabbath rest of God. I want to work hard to experience that rest.
The author continues his inductive study on Psalm 95:7-11 but specifically looking at verses 7-8 and 11. He is specifically studying the Sabbath rest of God. His line of reasoning goes as follows: God's promise is that humans can enter his Sabbath rest if they believe and obey his word. Since the Israelites did not enter his rest because they were disobedient, God's promise is still open and has not been fulfilled yet. Psalm 95:11 makes it clear that the promise has been extended to a period of time called "Today". If the Promised Land was the Promised Rest, then God's promise would have been fulfilled when Joshua led the people into the land. However, Psalm 95:11 was spoken through David and David comes after Joshua. The warning is written to the people alive in David's day. The author extends that warning to the present day since, according to the author, we are all still living in the time period called "Today". The promise of God, according to the author, is therefore still not completely fulfilled and there remains a Sabbath rest available to all those who do not harden their hearts when they hear the voice of God.
The application is that the author's audience should work hard to make sure that they enter into the Sabbath rest of God and avoid following the example of the ancestors of Israel. The application for me is the same: what am I hearing from God's word that I need to start obeying. By not obeying I am questioning the word of God (did God really mean that?) and the character of God (can God be trusted?). It is not enough to hear the word of God or even to agree with the word of God, I must act on it! I must not just believe it, it must become a conviction!
The other application for me is that there is a rest available to me that is experienced at some level today and more fully in eternity. It doesn't mean that I stop working but that the goal of my work is to experience the rest of God. So much of what I do is busy work. I don't want to appear lazy so I make sure I am busy - often for the sake of just doing something. This has become a badge of honour in our society. Do a test. If you ask someone how they are doing or how their summer/fall/weekend/week was, I bet that the next most common response, after some variation of "good", will be a variation of "busy". I want there to be, at the core of my being and presence, a sense of rest and refreshment because I have tasted and, to at least a small degree, live in the Sabbath rest of God. I want to work hard to experience that rest.
Monday, July 14, 2008
recognizing the hard working
1 Thessalonians 5:12-15
Paul is concerned about three things: 1) that those who work hard in the local church are not being properly recognized and encouraged; 2) that those who are stumbling and weak in their faith are not being properly helped and 3) that people are taking revenge for wrongs done against them (which is looking out for one's own selfish interests rather than looking out for the good of others). Judging from the amount of time that he spends on each, he is most concerned about the proper recognition of the hard working members of the local church.
Paul lays out a description for those whom the church is to acknowledge: they work hard, they care for the members of the church in the Lord and they admonish the members of the church. He also lays out a description of those whom the church is supposed to help (along with a specific imperative on how to help them): warn the idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with all.
From this passage, I see that God values hard work. From the very beginning of creation, humans were to work in as well as enjoy the garden. Work has been part of our mandate for all of history. From the parables of Jesus we see that faithfulness to God is equated with work: the servants are rewarded for being good and faithful as evidenced by how they put the money to work that they were entrusted with. Until that day when the hard workers will receive their "well done" from Christ, the Church must encourage and recognize them here on earth. I don't think this always means public commendation but we must find ways to acknowledge and encourage the hard working. If God values them, so must we.
I also see that God has a special concern for the weak and immature. He doesn't just abandon people because they don't measure up but warns, encourages and helps them. This reminds me that God is patient. He is patient with me and he wants me to be patient with others. This is where I need God's help. There are definitely times when I get impatient. God, help me to see the work that you are doing and to celebrate the steps, however miniscule, that people are taking towards Christ-likeness. Remind me of your patience with me!
Paul is concerned about three things: 1) that those who work hard in the local church are not being properly recognized and encouraged; 2) that those who are stumbling and weak in their faith are not being properly helped and 3) that people are taking revenge for wrongs done against them (which is looking out for one's own selfish interests rather than looking out for the good of others). Judging from the amount of time that he spends on each, he is most concerned about the proper recognition of the hard working members of the local church.
Paul lays out a description for those whom the church is to acknowledge: they work hard, they care for the members of the church in the Lord and they admonish the members of the church. He also lays out a description of those whom the church is supposed to help (along with a specific imperative on how to help them): warn the idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with all.
From this passage, I see that God values hard work. From the very beginning of creation, humans were to work in as well as enjoy the garden. Work has been part of our mandate for all of history. From the parables of Jesus we see that faithfulness to God is equated with work: the servants are rewarded for being good and faithful as evidenced by how they put the money to work that they were entrusted with. Until that day when the hard workers will receive their "well done" from Christ, the Church must encourage and recognize them here on earth. I don't think this always means public commendation but we must find ways to acknowledge and encourage the hard working. If God values them, so must we.
I also see that God has a special concern for the weak and immature. He doesn't just abandon people because they don't measure up but warns, encourages and helps them. This reminds me that God is patient. He is patient with me and he wants me to be patient with others. This is where I need God's help. There are definitely times when I get impatient. God, help me to see the work that you are doing and to celebrate the steps, however miniscule, that people are taking towards Christ-likeness. Remind me of your patience with me!
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