Skip to main content

Daily Devotion: Hebrews 12:1-2

Hebrews 12:1-2   "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,  (2)  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."

Chapter 11 ended with these words in verse 40, "God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect."  How can we make them perfect?  Be assured, their faith was a perfect faith in that the ground of their confidence was no other than the Lord God Almighty. But we have been blessed by receiving the promise upon which they placed their faith but did not fully see. What promise have you and I received?  As we look back on those dear saints of God in the Old Testament, we can see their actions through the finished work of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.  We see them as imperfect people who placed their confidence in the perfect God whose love is so deep that He gave His only begotten Son.

We are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses. If there is any doubt of that, re-read the 11th chapter. If there is any doubt of that great cloud of witnesses, look around and see people who, today, are walking by faith. We are absolutely surrounded by people who may not have been cast into a furnace or thrown into a den of lions or stood tall against a giant. They may not have had to lead millions of people through a wilderness or build a boat to prepare for a flood that others deemed unlikely to happen. But we all have our giants of opposition in life that we have to fight. We all have to make decisions each day that affect ourselves and those around us.  We have fiery trials, as the Apostle Peter mentioned, through which we must walk.

How do we survive? How do we get through each day? The writer of Hebrews tells us to keep our eyes on Jesus. Look to Jesus who gave us our faith and is the object of our faith. We go back to chapter four to see the blessing of keeping our eyes upon the Lord.  "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." (Hebrews 4:15) This verse tells us that Jesus understands the weight of the world that we must endure. He understands the pressure of everyday life. He understands when our emotions are flooded with grief or anxiety or concern for our families. He understands because not only has He been there, He is presently with us in each situation and circumstance of our lives. He "endured the cross" and He has promised to give us mercy and grace to help us endure our crosses. Trust Him. Trust His perfect love for you. He will see you through.

Popular posts from this blog

Daily Devotion: Enter With Thanksgiving - Psalm 100:1-5

One of the most beautiful Psalms of Thanksgiving is the 100th Psalm. Please turn to it and read verses one through five. With all my heart I believe we are a people and a nation that has truly been blessed by God. Of all those who “give thanks to Him and praise His name” we should be at the top!  It is not uncommon to compile wish lists at Christmas, and draw up a list of resolutions for the new year. But there is another list we often overlook - a Thanksgiving Day list of all for which we are thankful. What would your list contain? Most likely, a good part would be material possessions. I’m convinced that we would find that we have much more for which to be thankful than just our material possessions.  Like you, I’m sure my list would include the major things - life, health, family, friends, and the nation we live in, despite all its flaws. But even more than that, I’m thankful for my salvation, my Church family, and the mercy that God showers upon us each d...

Daily Devotion: Psalm 100:4-5 - Thanksgiving

Psalm 100:4-5     "Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.  (5)  For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations." Many songs have been written about these verses and with these words included. What do they mean? Today, we celebrate the holiday of Thanksgiving. I've listened to many people speak about their family traditions and most of them include family, food, and football. These are wonderful and fun things that enrich the day, but is it the true meaning that was intended when the day was established?  The Psalmist instructed us to include a special action with our words of thankfulness.  We are to "enter into HIS gates." The heartfelt words of thanksgiving allow us to enter the gates of the Lord, but there is a much deeper place into which we can go. Not only are we to enter into HIS gates, but He invites us to come much closer to H...

Sermon (Video): The Lamb of God - Luke 2:8-18