And every priest stands day after day at his service, offering again and again the same sacrifices that can never take away sins. But when Christhad offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, ‘he sat down at the right hand of God’, and since then has been waiting ‘until his enemies would be made a footstool for his feet.’ For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us, for after saying, ‘This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord:I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds’, he also adds,‘I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.’ Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin. Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10: 11-25)
Here is praying this day be a wonderful day filled with awe and wonder about how God is blessing you, dear Friend! May this time spent with God and His precious word bless you and yours is my prayer!
Yesterday, we learned about tourists and theologians; and we discovered we should be theologians not tourists. We can point out beauty and awesomeness, but to move on and forget the more important challenges before us is not a good thing. Today, this passage qualifies as that which can bless us as theologians. First, it speaks to our hearts about the work Jesus did in removing our sins from our souls. Jesus as our High Priest, paid the price and removed our stains away from us; we are soiled no more! Next, it speaks to us about the covenant we live under. God loves covenants, which are holy contracts. The party of the first part is God; the party of the second part is you and me. The covenant is the love placed in our hearts, and we, because we have that love, will live as people of love. And because that covenant also said that God would remove our sins, we would be moved to live sinless lives that bless others by our selfless acts for them. The third part, is that we are called "provoke one another to love and good deeds," In other words, as we see opportunities to serve the Lord, we should invite others to come and join us in doing good. One example will always forever stand in my mind, especially during this time of year. This person, who was on my staff, would dedicate Thanksgiving Day as a day when she and her family would use our church's kitchen and facilities to prepare a huge feast and invite the poor of that community to feast with them. It grew and grew, as others were "provoked" by God's Holy Spirit, to join this woman and her efforts.
The covenant also provokes us to "not neglecting to meet together" meaning worshipping together (church!); it means Bible study; it means Emmaus reunion groups, accountability groups, actions groups, growth groups; whatever it takes to prepare us to continue in our role as theologians; thinkers of God. Lastly, it calls us to "encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching." Church works if we come and worship, and then leave and worshipfully work for God in doing good for one another. Otherwise, what good has it done in our lives?
Dear one, you are called to be a theologian who follows these instructions from what we learned yesterday. You ready? Get busy!
PRAYER: Loving Father, I am ready. Put me to doing. I am Thine. I will do whatever needs to be done, wherever that may be. In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord. Your daily responsibility as a theologians begins now!
Eradio Valverde
