June 19, 2025 | Be God's Family
Draw Near to God in Faith, Hope and Love
Scripture: Hebrews 10:19-31(NIV)
19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
26 If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27 but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. 28 Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.” 31 It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Devotional
I was deeply drawn to verses 22-24 of today’s passage. And I was reminded of the familiar words of 1 Corinthians 13 – “The Love Chapter” – when Paul says, “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:13)
Verse 22 calls us to draw near to God in faith having been baptized and cleansed. Faith is the “assurance of what we hope for and the conviction of what we don't see” (Hebrews 11:1). And our faith and confidence in the grace of God is where our salvation lies. “You are saved by grace through faith, not by your own doing” (Ephesians 2:8-9). And we are free to enter God’s presence because of Jesus and His sacrifice. So, draw near to God with faith, confidence and an obedient heart.
Verse 23 challenges us to hold on to hope for our God is a faithful God. Life can wear on us with burdens and worries but the prophet Isaiah uplifts us with these words - “Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint” (Isaiah 40:31). We have hope in the one who will never fail us. The one who will lift us high above the storm.
And finally, verse 24 pushes us to encourage others to love and do good. Paul tells us love is the greatest of the three virtues. The love referred to here is agape – that selfless, unconditional, universal love intended for each person, no matter who they are, where they come from, or even how they live. But this challenge goes even farther. We are told to encourage others to love as well. And the only way for this to happen is to be in fellowship and communion with other believers. We cannot do what we are called to do in this verse if we live in isolation. We need the love, support and encouragement of our church family to get through life’s trials. Being in communion with other believers provides for mutual care, sharing of our faith stories and strengthening us as we daily live out our faith in Christ.
“Two are better than one.......If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.......A cord of three strands is not quickly broken”. (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)
Are there areas in your life where you need to be more diligent in faithfulness, hopefulness or love?
What do you gain from being in community with other believers? Or what is lost if we fail to surround ourselves with other believers?
Poem
O King, I Stand Before You
Psalm 17
Hear me, Lord, my plea is just; listen to my cry. Hear my prayer— it does not rise from deceitful lips.
Psalm 17:1
O King, I stand before You—
I have nothing to offer You
No gift in hand
No honor
No merit
Save the precious blood
And righteousness
Of Your only Son
My Savior and Lord
O King, I am bold with my request—
It is small and insignificant
When compared to Your glory
When compared to Your creation
When compared to others’ suffering
For why should You attend to
My little sparrow life
Yet because I come at Your Son’s permission
I stand boldly before You
O King, I know Your authority—
You but say the word
And all is put right
And darkness is conquered
And Your servant shall be healed
I bring two, perhaps three
Who with Your Will agree
In the name of Jesus Christ
Your beloved Son
O King, I trust Your goodness—
You stand and fight for me
Against all enemies
Against all that would come for me
Against all the storms of my mind
‘Show me the wonders of Your great love’
‘Keep me as the apple of Your eye’
Confident to enter Your holiness
O King, I stand before You!
