Hebrews Chapter 12
In our lives, we struggle daily with sin. Especially in today’s world where our phones provide the whole world access to us.
Yes, you heard read that right. We often think of the phone as a tool that lays the whole world at our feet. Whatever information we want, we can obtain. But isn’t it also true, that the phone is how the entire world, and the influential might of the wicked one gets to us.
Through the phone we can see the pleasures and dazzling lights of the world. Just as certain insects are drawn toward the bright lights, we too are drawn towards the things of the world, but simultaneously inexorably further and further away from God.
The phone also occupies much of our time. Nowadays our phones record the amount of “screen time” we have. Meaning the amount of time we spend looking at our phones. Do you dare to look our records? How much of time we spend on our phones instead of drawing close to God?
So, sin has the opportunity to cling every so closely to us. This is just as what the author of Hebrews tells us in Hebrews 12:2. This is a weight we have to try our best to lay down, because we must realise that our lives depend on it. We have to struggle, and we must remember that struggle means suffering! That’s right, we have to suffer for our faith.
In our lives of faith is it at the forefront of our minds that we must “suffer” for our faith. And this “suffering” is not persecution from external forces, but our own pommeling of the body. This is just like what Paul says in 1 Cor 9:27:
“But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.”
Perhaps in today we often think of the practice of faith as outwardly serving God. But service to God is not just about the works we do in church. I think much more than these sacrifices, God wants us to dedicate our hearts and thoughts to God. So reading this chapter, the thought that strikes me is do I serve God daily by striving daily to put aside the things that can allure me and consume my time, and instead delight myself in the law of God?
Sometimes we are weak and we stray from God’s light. And by God’s grace, He chastens us. The chastening of God can be really painful. When we are chastened by God, sometimes we also feel the weight and burden of our sin. But we must always have the right attitude when we are chastened by God. Just as the author of Hebrews reminds us in Hebrews 12:5-6, the Lord disciplines those whom He loves.
So when we face big setbacks and difficulties in our lives, we should ask ourselves if God is chastening us. If we realise He is, then we should also be thankful for God’s loving hand upon us. Sounds counter-intuitive, but we should take heart that at least God is still treating us as sons.
I shudder to think of the alternative. If we keep sinning and do not repent, let us not be glad if God doesn’t punish us. For then we may very no longer be regarded as a son of God.
Did not God harden Pharaoh’s heart? This means that God strengthened Pharaoh’s heart. In other words, God gave Pharaoh up to the decision of his own heart, and in the end Pharaoh suffered the ultimate price for not heeding God’s signs and chastisement by the great plagues.
As we struggle with sin in our daily lives. Let us not forget that we have come to Mount Zion, the city of the living God, with the assembly of the firstborn. There are those around us who will help us on our journey of faith – our brothers and sisters in Christ. We should never forsake the opportunity to interact with those who are of the common faith, for they will minister to you and likewise you will minister to them. A simple sharing of your own faith can leave a deep impression and go a long way in helping someone else’s faith.