Devotion • November 13
Today's Scripture
Hebrews 10:11–25
And every priest stands day after day at his service, offering again and again the same sacrifices that can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, “he sat down at the right hand of God,” and since then has been waiting “until his enemies would be made a footstool for his feet.” For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us, for after saying, “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds,” he also adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.” Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.
Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (NRSV)
Reflection
Hebrews 10:11–25 gives me a lot to think about relative to the core of my faith.
For starters, no one knows who actually wrote Hebrews. It was probably not Paul for some contextual reason, but probably was one of the several people who were close confidants and coworkers of his. For a variety of reasons which are too much to go into here, my money is on Priscilla.
The opening sentence of the text — “And every priest stands day after day at his service, offering again and again the same sacrifices that can never take away sins” — may be interpreted to apply to all of the palliatives that we employ to alleviate the ills of our souls. They just do not work, and we all fundamentally know that.
Priscilla gives us the key to what does actually work for us: “For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.” Neither I nor anyone else can work that miracle in my life. My own perception of the Christ in my life is that Jesus literally walks beside me reassuring me that he is now and will always be enough in my life.
The next step in my maturing in the faith is to ask “How then should I live?”
Here again Priscilla has the discipline. “Let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” In this one sentence she defines my discipleship.
Prayer
Dear Lord, as I am surrounded by the sights and sounds of a world that seems to be way out of balance, let me hold on to your promise and encourage those around me. Amen.
Written by Blake Anderson, Member of Fourth Presbyterian Church
Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church
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