Saturday 05 February 2011

Background

Whilst we might not consider a letter which is ten or more pagesto be short, in the verse which follows today's reading (Hebrews 13:22) the writer claims to have"written to you briefly"! This last chapter seems to be full ofapparently unrelated thoughts and suggestions; things not to beleft out before closing the letter. So the reader is reminded:

• Keep on praising (verse 15): life may not be easy, but throughthe sacrifice of Christ on the cross, we are able to make the muchlesser sacrifice of continually offering praise to the name ofGod.
• Do not neglect to do good: the general exhortation to "do good"(verse 16) is alongside a specific instruction to share; this isanother form of sacrifice we can engage in and so please God.
• Obey your leaders: not, in order to make life easier for them,but because they take responsibility for you, and will give anaccount of you (verse 17). The faithful disciple should give theirleader cause for rejoicing, not for sighing!
• Pray for us: a humble request from a respected leader whorecognises that no-one is above the need for prayer in order tomaintain that "clear conscience" (verse 18).

Having made these points, the writer closes the letter (oralmost closes it, one or two late thoughts do pop up in theinevitable PS!) with a rich, poetic blessing. The language isfulsome and ambitious because the faith of the writer is similarlybold, putting implicit trust in the blood of the eternal covenant,which he has spent 13 chapters trying to explain. This God who wasable to bring back Jesus from the dead can make disciples "completein everything good", thus making it possible for them (and for us)to do the will of God, to live lives which are pleasing in thesight of God and so to bring glory to God in Jesus Christ for everand ever.

Amen! Be encouraged to remain as faithful disciples, Hebrewstells us, because perfection is on its way!

To Ponder

Have you ever been able to praise God in hardtimes? If you have, how has that affected you?

Think about those who may see themselves as your"leaders" (verse 17) - do you cause them to rejoice or to sigh doyou think? Does that matter?

To what extent is the target of being "completein every good thing" on your agenda, or do you think of it as animpossibility in this life?