At the start of Lent, we will be kicking off Hebrews today. Have a great Ash Wednesday!
And to which of the angels has he ever said, "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet"? (Hebrews 1:13 ESV)
I really enjoy this imagery of the power of God. Sometimes it is easy to be intimidated by evil and those who do the works of evil and oppose God, but who even holds a candle to our God that can make your enemies into your footstool.
I may have gone on a little tangent next, but I was pulled in by the reference to Psalm 110 here, and then I couldn't help but contemplate this verse later in the Psalm:
The Lord is at your right hand; he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath. (Psalms 110:5 ESV)
This verse just spoke very powerfully to me about God's power and how petty our focus on money and worldly power are to him. Our kings shatter at his wrath. Just think about that. So many people spend their whole lives in search of fame, fortune, and power. It's easy to get pulled into the traps of the devil. Stay on your guard and trust in the Lord's power.
Grace and Peace from Berkeley. I want to encourage you, my brothers, by letting you know that the Spirit is moving mightily in this place. Berkeley, like the rest of our world, is being redeemed by and for the Kingdom of God.
ReplyDeleteI apologize if I repeat comments and thoughts that have been posted previously, as I have not had the time to go through and read every day's thread. I will do my best to maintain as much of a presence on here as possible.
The power of Jesus is made known in Hebrews 1, and I was most affected by vv. 8-9, perhaps because of my recent focus on the topic of righteousness. Righteousness is the scepter that rules over the kingdom, that governs its functioning. It is set up in contrast to wickedness, so it must be what we are meant to pursue in the Kingdom of God. It it such a tough purpose though. I constantly find myself torn between two extremes: one that is bereft of righteousness and one that is replete with it but involves a major removal of self from world and reality. How does one walk that middle ground, following the example of Jesus and engaging the world? It is not easy, to be sure. We are called to serve and love the poor and oppressed. This means the widows, the orphans, the homeless, but it also means our friends and neighbors who are struggling in their souls and spirits even if they are doing okay materially. This Ash Wednesday and this Lenten season I desire to remember that we are all ash, but from that ash springs great beauty if we will but let it blossom. "The Son is the radiance of God's glory," and he passes it onto us (v. 3).
May this season be one of contemplation and remembrance for all of us. If you want to read a little more about the Kingdom of God in the Bay Area this lenten season, I really enjoyed this article: http://www.episcopalcafe.com/daily/church_year/ash_wednesday_in_the_streets_1.php
And,
ReplyDelete“You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning,
and the heavens are the work of your hands;
they will perish, but you remain;
they will all wear out like a garment,
like a robe you will roll them up,
like a garment they will be changed.
But you are the same,
and your years will have no end.”
(Hebrews 1:10-12 ESV)
This passage was my favorite. I love passages that describe God's glory, splendor, and power. This one clearly points out that God will outlast anything on this earth that he created. Knowing this, why should we try to focus on things that will not last? God is the beginning and the end. He is the only thing that will never change. If we aim to please any being, it should be one whose standards will not change and who is infinitely powerful. If we have his approval, we've won. The good news is this: we have his approval. He loves us. Christ died so that we could be with Him in heaven. All of us have chosen to follow Him. Let us live in the joy that this should bring.
I really like this passage too. It is humbling to remember that everything we see. This whole world. The universe we study. Life. The fundamental laws that govern everything. For all of this, God laid the foundation in the beginning. Everything that we see and know and care about in this world is temporary. Like an old garment that has been worn too much, God will change the universe.
DeleteIn all of this God never changes. The same God who drew me in to salvation. The God who guides me whenever I stumble or wander away from him. The God of my childhood. The God of my future. The God of my parents. The God of my great grandparent. The God of America's founding fathers. The God of the New Testament. The God of the Old Testament. The God before humans walked the face of the Earth. God has been the same for all of this. He never changes. How amazing is that?
"in these last days, he spoke to us through a son, whom he made heir of all things and through whom he created the universe,
ReplyDeletewho is the refulgence of his glory,
the very imprint of his being,
and who sustains all things by his mighty word.
When he had accomplished purification from sins,
he took his seat at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
as far superior to the angels
as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs."
Hebrews 1: 2-4
What an introduction! It just makes me so proud to be considered a child of God and a brother of Christ. I don't know if any of you have seen a sibling or close friend get introduced at an awards ceremony, but their is a sense of awe, a healthy sense of pride, joy, and excitement that you feel. That is how I feel when I read these two verses with an emphasis on the excitement and joy parts. We have a personal God who is greater than anything or anyone that we have ever encountered.
Verses like this get me excited to be praying constantly and excited to be sacrificing myself for Him. During this time of lent, it is encouraging to know that we are sacrificing for someone who is far superior to the angels. It also saddens me for those who choose not to recognize the glory of God. and it saddens me to think of the times when I have closed the door and separated myself from God by sinning.
Let us strive to be one with God, the creator of the universe.
"they will perish, but you remain;
ReplyDeletethey will all wear out like a garment," Hebrews 1:11
I was struck by a similar thought as Travis. We are here at the beginning of Lent, a time meant for us to focus more intently on God as we lead up to Easter. This passage reminded me why we practice Lent in the first case. This is a chance to give up something that separates us from God. So many things distract us from God on a daily basis, and it is so important to get them out of the way. These things will not last, so we should not waste our time on them. Instead, I am eager for Lent because it is a reminder that we serve an almighty God who deserves more of our time.
Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of righteousness is the scepter of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness, therefore God, your God has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions
ReplyDelete- Hebrews 1:7-9 -
I think this verse is very powerful and convicting to me. This strongly shows that God is not only a loving God but He is also a just God. He loves righteousness and hates wickedness, but we, as humans, tend to side with wickedness. We should be aiming to be righteous not in our view but in God's view. This goes very well with the chapter that my bible study group talked about today, John 15. In there, God tells us to abide in him and He will abide in us. Those who do not abide in him would not produce any fruit and therefore be pruned by God. Trusting in God, rooting in His promises, and imitating His love allow us to transform every aspect of our lives. And obviously, we cannot do this by ourselves but need God to give use the strength and courage to do this. I wanted to ask what abiding in God would like practically in our lives? Any comments?
And now the post from the rebel. Happy Ash Wednesday my bros! Today's verse of the day is from Micah 7:18 (ESV)
ReplyDelete[Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love.]
In this time of Lent, it's important to remember why we are in a period of mourning, prayer, alms-giving, and fasting. It is due to the life of sin that we choose continuously, a life that draws us away from God. Because of this, Jesus was required to suffer and to die for us. With that death we can truly join our heavenly Father, a God who in every sense is all about love. God does not enjoy seeing us in sin, which is why he chooses to forgive our transgressions and iniquities. When He loves us, He wants His love to be the greatest thing in our lives, but many times we choose to reject that love. By accepting this love, we are transformed and therefore will be unable to resist the call to enter His Kingdom.
Therefore let's use Lent not just as a time of repentance and mourning, but a time to recognize God's steadfast love for all of us, a love so great that 40 days later, His only Son was ready to endure the ultimate sacrifice.
What a great way to begin this book! A lot of what I wanted to say has already been said, but I just loved the eminence of God's power that was present throughout this scripture. All of our daily desires and problems are nothing when turned to the God of the universe!
ReplyDelete