Today's Scripture
A Precious Gift – Hebrews 13:7-16
7 Remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you; consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. 9 Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings; for it is well for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by regulations about food, which have not benefited those who observe them. 10 We have an altar from which those who officiate in the tent have no right to eat. 11 For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp. 12 Therefore Jesus also suffered outside the city gate in order to sanctify the people by his own blood. 13 Let us then go to him outside the camp and bear the abuse he endured. 14 For here we have no lasting city, but we are looking for the city that is to come. 15 Through him, then, let us continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name. 16 Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.
RJ's Devotion
What the passage says
V. 7-9 Focus on the grace of God. The grace that continued through the ones, who walked before us in faith, and the grace that will continue to live in us.
V. 10-12 Do not be limited to the Jewish tradition. Jesus came to be the ultimate sacrifice, which is aligned with the tradition. Through his sacrifice, we receive the grace.
What does the passage say to me/us?
I’ve always observed Lent by sacrificing something to help me remember Christ’s holy sacrifice for me. But over the years some of my passion for this practice dimmed, and I began to question my motives for observing this spiritual discipline. Does Christ really find pleasure in my “suffering”? I had to acknowledge that the answer was a resounding no. After all, Christ loves me!
Divided between the desire to make a heartfelt offering to God and the ambivalence I felt, I struggled. I yearned to give God what I considered most precious — and with some reluctance, I realized that what is most precious to me is my time. Most days I feel I don’t have a second to spare.
Committing to give God an hour daily is a genuine sacrifice — but like everything I’ve given in the past, my time already belongs to God. Those 60 minutes — bowing in prayer, reading the Bible, or volunteering — leave me stronger and happier. I now share a more intimate relationship with Christ than I’ve enjoyed in years. I haven’t really given up anything after all. I’ve discovered the riches of time well spent in the presence of God. (Upper Room Devotion, March 2nd, 2017)
Prayer
Dear Lord, thank you for your sacrifice and for the blessing we find when we move closer to you — day by day, hour by hour.
In Christ name, we pray, AMEN
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