Truth Worth Repeating
There is no way that I don’t repeat myself sometimes during my daily devotionals that many of you read daily, weekly, or even occasionally. I develop my content as I do my annual read-through-the-Bible program. As I read through the Bible each year, I am confident that I sometimes comment on verses I have already commented on before. And I hope that I sometimes bring fresh insights to familiar passages.
However, I noticed in Hebrews 13 that most every topic covered has been presented before by Moses, Jesus, Paul, and others. And sometimes these who wrote or are quoted in scripture said the same thing more than once. We all need to be reminded of what is important, what is “God breathed” (inspired), and what helps us deepen our obedience to discipleship.
I think you will agree that all of these instructions in the first few verses are familiar:
Let brotherly love continue (Jesus in John 13, as an example).
Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers (Paul and Jesus).
Remember those who are in prison… and those who are mistreated (Jesus in Matthew 25).
Let marriage be honorable (Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount and the Ten Commandments).
God judges sexual immorality and adultery (numerous passages).
Keep your life free from love of money (Jesus and Paul in numerous passages).
Be content with what you have (Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount and Paul many times).
The writer of Hebrews said some of the same things as others, but he also reminds us of reasons and motivations of why we need to be obedient to the things we have been taught in the scriptures:
In regard to showing hospitality to strangers, we might be entertaining angels!
When we remember those in prison, we do so because we are visiting fellow Christians who are a part of the body of Christ.
When we keep ourselves from the love of money, we are proclaiming that “the Lord is my helper.”
As students of scripture, we will often note that we have read the same instructions over and over again. And those of us who preach, teach, and write devotional thoughts or lessons will often say things many times in various ways. Being human, we get busy, become distracted, and sometimes just forget the things we are to know and do. We literally can thank God for repeating his instructions to us. Hopefully, as each day passes, we will get better and better not simply in knowing the ways of God but eventually in living them out so that others might see Jesus in us!
Hebrews closes with a powerful prayer we can pray today:
“Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.”
Your Time with God’s Word
Hebrews 13:1-21 ESV
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