Lifetime Daily DevotionsHalimbawa

What Makes the World Go \\\'Round?
God was in Christ reconciling,

loving, saving, ministering,

teaching, and giving of

Himself every breath

until He had no breath left.

 

            I've been reading through the book of Hebrews again. What an amazing book! The writer points out those facets of our lives as Believers that are vital to us and for us. He talks about the necessity of faith (without faith it is impossible to please God 11:6), the wonder of the Word of God (it is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword 4:12), and emphasizes many times just who we are now that we are in Christ (by this will we have been sanctified and He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified 10:10, 14). But Chapter Seven (even though there are a few things underlined) eludes me! I'm confident I could ask our pastor to explain Melchizedek and he could do that, but I would dare say that most of us "pew sitters" would glibly say, "He was the incarnate Christ." Thank you. Now explain that to me. ("Uhs" and "ahs" would no doubt be liberal in the explanation!)

            I don't recall who said it, but someone made a statement along these lines:

I do not worry about those parts of the Bible that I do not understand. I am very concerned and focus on those things that I DO understand.

            Jesus knew that arguing over the scriptures, or spending hours discussing the meaning of certain passages, or isolating ourselves to "learn" would profit us nothing. So He summed it all up saying: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets." (Matthew 22:37-40.) Paul does essentially the same thing when he says: For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Galatians 5:14).

            Knowing the "ins and outs" of God's Word should be a consuming passion for us as we read our Bibles because it is through this passion for His Word that we come to know Jesus Christ more completely. But we must not neglect the "first and great commandment nor the second, which is like it."

            Nietzche[1] once said:"These Christians must show me that they are redeemed before I will believe in their Redeemer!" There should not be two divisions where we fuss about them among ourselves and have labeled them today, one for "doing", the other for "pursuing knowledge."

            We must know Him and that comes through reading and hearing the Word (which is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart Heb. 4:12) definitely. But once we know Him and HE comes to dwell within us, then He will be reaching out in love constantly as He did when He walked the dusty paths of His earthly home in Galilee, reconciling, loving, saving, ministering, teaching, and giving of Himself every breath until He had no breath left.

 

            I want to know the Person who lives inside me for only in that way will I realize when I am

allowing His Power indwelling me to control me. So, I "read Hebrews again" and again and study Paul's letters, and the Gospels, and read Proverbs over and over, but then the "rubber meets the road!" Am I "showing others" that I am redeemed? I guess it would be kind of like having a new dress and telling everyone about how lovely it is, but never wearing it? They will believe it when they see me preening in that lovely thing. Lord, may people see You in me.

 

Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me.
All His wonderful passion and purity;
May His spirit divine, all my being refine
Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me.

[1]Nietzsche was a German philosopher of the late 19th century who challenged the foundations of Christianity and traditional morality.