Posts that reference the book of Hebrews

After an Injury

I had a great plan for the running season. Last year I wanted to hit 10K and I didn't make it. This year I made that distance in April. April. So I set my sights on a half marathon by fall. I found a series of races – A 10K in August, a 15K in September and a half-marathon in October. Perfect.

Then knee pain hit and everything unraveled. I got really discouraged. (I'm a goal-oriented type and scrapping my race plans was a major failure.) I couldn't run three-quarters of a mile without serious pain. I had trouble walking without pain. And steps? Forget it.

I took two weeks off – it still hurt. I got a knee brace – it still hurt. I iced and wrapped and stretched… it still hurt. It was decision time. Work through pain and keep running OR decide running wasn't my thing after all.

I decided to run. Somehow or other.

I consulted with Jay. He gave me a set of exercises and an admonition to run on the track. So I did. Running a half mile, stretching, walking, running another half mile. Two miles, then two and a half, then running a mile at a time. Little by little. I'm back up to three miles. Next week we'll try running on consecutive days.

So what does my whining have to do with anything?

Hebrews 12:12-13 says "Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed."

Running the race God sets before us is not always easy and sometimes we encounter pain and difficulty. It could be anything from opposition and conflict to church politics to failures to … you name it. When something like that happens, we don't stop running altogether but we do need to take care of ourselves. How do we do that?

I had to leave my schedule and plan, and go back to the basics. Sometimes when we serve Christ, we get so busy ministering, we lose sight of the One we're trying to serve. We get ideas, we jump into to programs, we go ninety miles an hour, nonstop. Until we get hurt. Discouraged. Defeated. When that happens, we need to take a break and refocus on the basics of who Christ is and who we are in Him.

I had to strengthen my knees. BUT that only happened when I worked on my hips. Turns out the tendons from my hip muscles were pulling my knees. Jay's exercises were for my hips. Be ready to strengthen the weak areas in your Christian life but always be aware – they may not be where you think they are. You may need a wise coach to help you diagnose the source.

I switched to the track while I healed. We may need to switch to a "softer" area of service for a bit to recover and revive. It's a way to prevent long-term damage or ministry burn-out.

I'm making progress. Each day I run a little longer, and my knee hurts a little less, and recovers from the day's run a little sooner. I hope to be back on schedule before the season ends. When we get back into running our race for Christ after pain and difficulty, look for progress – strengthening, more endurance, and quicker recovery from routine stresses – and be encouraged by that.

Have you ever had to quit running for a while (physically or spiritually)? What helped you recover?

Trainer or Racer?

By Paula Wiseman

Memorial Day, I ran my fourth ever race. Here's what I learned – I'm terrible at races. I took a month of great training runs, of shaving seconds off my time and translated that into my worst 5K time yet. It's tempting to blame the heat. (It was about 20-25 degrees warmer than training temps.) Or the hill. (The half mile between 1.5 and 2. Ugh.) Or the crowded race field. (I'm used to running alone.)

I was frustrated enough that I considered scrapping plans for a series of races – a 10K, 15K and half marathon – this fall. Especially after my husband conquered his first triathlon two days before the Memorial Day race, then sailed through the 5K. I might be competitive.

But here's what concerns me more. I'm the same way in my Christian life. I'm great at training – at studying my Bible every morning, attending church services and so forth. But when it comes to testing those things, to putting theory into practice, I often choke.

So how do I fix this?

I keep training. I'll never run a successful race without good training. And that was the part I did fairly well at. That goes for my walk too. I need to keep up those spiritual disciplines- study, prayer, worship and so on- if I have any hope of running well.

I keep running races. I have to keep putting myself to the test. By the end of the month, it's put up or shut up time on those fall races… Spiritually, the same thing applies. I have to allow God to put me in situations where I have to use what I've learned.

I keep striving. Personal bests are never permanent. (Sadly, personal 'worsts' may not be either.) I'll have a breakthrough one of these days as long as I keep putting on my sneakers. As a believer, Hebrews 12 tells me to run with endurance. After all, those folks in chapter 11 did, and look where it got them.

What about you? Are you better at "training", "racing" or both?

Study Tip: Hebrews

By Paula Wiseman

Hebrews is my favorite book in the Bible. At least in the New Testament. (Check back when we do Isaiah.) I love the simple power in its statements. There are a few passages that still give me chills every time I read them.

We don't know for certain who penned the letter and we don't know much about the recipients, except that they were a group converted Jews. From the letter, we learn that persecution of these believers was likely to intensify in the near future and the writer didn't want them to abandon their faith in Christ.

How to study Hebrews

(Note: It's not at all necessary, but it's helpful to review Leviticus before diving into Hebrews. That review can be as simple as reading the introduction to Leviticus in your study Bible.)

Key Word – Better

Highlight all the occurrences of the word "better" and keep track of "what" is better. Why is it better?

Jesus Christ

Soak in all the details about the work Christ did, does and will do. Great stuff!

Instructions

The writer gives great advice and encouragement especially in the last couple of chapters.

Old Testament Exposition

Several Old Testament passages are discussed by the writer. What insights does he add to the Scriptures?

Examples of Faith

Chapter 11 is the roll call of the faithful. What lessons can you take away from each of them? What about those in verses 35-39 when the outcomes were not as positive? What does this say about God?

I love chapters 4 and 12 but it's 9:12 that gets me every time – Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.

Share your favorite parts of Hebrews in the comments 🙂

Temptation: Substance

By Paula Wiseman

(Note: When I teach, I learn more than my students. This is the second of three Thursday posts about some things my boys and I learned as we studied Jesus' temptation.)

Matthew, Mark and Luke all relate the account of Jesus' temptation in the wilderness. While I love the affirmation that we have a Great High Priest who was tempted like we are (Hebrews 4:15) as I studied, I flipped this around.

Am I ever tempted like Jesus? Are there patterns or similarities I can draw from? The first element I considered was timing. Next, I looked the substance.

He was tempted to turn stones into bread. He'd been fasting for 40 days and who wouldn't want to satisfy that basic human need under those circumstances. And yes I've been tempted, and given it, to eating things I shouldn't for quantity and content. However, this temptation is bigger than that. Am I ever tempted to let go of faith in favor of my comfort?

Jesus was tempted to throw Himself from the pinnacle of the temple and prove God's promises of protection. There's nothing wrong with taking God at His word and resting in His promises. In fact challenges us to do that. To trust Him. This wasn't about trust. This was a throwdown. Am I ever tempted to demand God prove Himself to me to earn my faith? Have I ever proposed that He do "this" THEN I'll respond?

Finally, Jesus was tempted to receive now instead of later. The kingdoms were His as part of God's eternal plan. Have I ever been tempted to shortcut God's plan? Have I chosen to make something or someone else the center of my life – even for a short time – to get what I wanted, what I believed I was entitled to? Have I ever decided there has to be a "better" (faster, easier) way to do things than the way God plainly laid out? Or to trade eternal rewards and blessings for temporary satisfaction?

Yes. To all of them.

Next week we'll look at the response to temptation.

Temptation: Timing

By Paula Wiseman

(Note: When I teach, I learn more than my students. The next three Thursday posts will cover some things my boys and I learned as we studied Jesus' temptation.)

Am I ever tempted like Jesus? Are there patterns or similarities I can draw from? The first element I considered was timing.

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him… (Matt 4:1-3a)

At the end of chapter 3, Jesus is baptized by John the Baptist and publicly recognized as God's Son, well-pleasing to the Father and beloved. It was a great moment, kicking off Jesus' earthly ministry.

But Satan didn't go after Jesus when the crowds swirled around Him, while He was energized. Satan waited until Jesus was alone. And hungry.

Victories often make me feel self-confident, and satisfied. After Jesus' victory, He was led to a time of intense communion and preparation for the next phase of His mission. I, on the other hand, have a tendency to soak in all in, and rest in "my" accomplishment. That's when it hits. Temptation is most effective when I am isolated, when I am physically depleted or when I'm relying on my own strength.

Next week we'll look at the substance of those temptations.

Buoys

By Paula Wiseman

I spent some time at the beach last week.

A series of buoys marked the boundary for safe swimming. I watched the waves crash in from every direction and batter those buoys.

They were anchored, though.

We have an anchor. Hebrews 6:19 says "This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast."

What hope? The promise God made to redeem us and bless us.

The waves will come against us.

We are anchored.

And the anchor will hold. God promised it would.