In Hebrews 4, two things caught my attention. The first was when the author of Hebrews quoted David from the Psalms. “…Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” Hebrews4:7NIV I grew up in a very evangelistic tradition. We were always inviting people to be saved. I can remember hearing preachers pleading with people at the end of the service altar call. “If you hear Jesus calling you, do not pass up this opportunity… be saved today!” There was the implied and sometimes spoken idea, that the Spirit of God may not come back around to you again. You hear that idea in the song Pass Me Not O Gentle Savior.
There is something else in the words of David quoted by the author of Hebrews… the idea that we can and do harden our hearts to God. The warning is not so much that God isn’t calling, rather don’t harden your heart. That can be cherishing sin and refusing to repent or it can be as simple as hearing God’s will and saying not today. The burden of responsibility in that statement is on us. “…Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” Hebrews4:7NIV
The other thing in Hebrews 4 that caught my attention is at the end of the chapter. “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Hebrews4:14–16NIV
In these verses we learn than not only did Jesus pay the price for our sins, he knows exactly what we are going through when we are tempted. Hebrews 4:15 tells us that Jesus was tempted in every way, yet without sin. When you struggle with sin, know that Jesus endured the same temptation and did not sin. He knows what you are going through because he was tempted in every way just like you.
Jesus was empowered by the Holy Spirit to be able to resist temptation. Because of Pentecost you have the Holy Spirit living in you. That same power that was able to deliver Jesus from temptations is available to you. When you feel overwhelmed by temptation, go to Jesus in prayer. “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Hebrews4:16NIV
Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for atoning for my sins! Thank you for being able to understand and empathize with my weaknesses because you were tempted just like me. Lord help me to yield my will to you when I hear your Spirit and not harden my heart. Amen.
Thinking About and Being a Child of God 