Deut. 9:13-21
Heb. 3:12-19
John 2:23--3:15
Heb. 3:12-19
12Take care, brothers and sisters, that none of you may have an evil, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” so that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14For we have become partners of Christ, if only we hold our first confidence firm to the end. 15As it is said, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” 16Now who were they who heard and yet were rebellious? Was it not all those who left Egypt under the leadership of Moses? 17But with whom was he angry forty years? Was it not those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? 18And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, if not to those who were disobedient? 19So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.
We have been together on this Lenten journey for a week now. Paul reminds the Hebrews to “exhort one another”. The word ‘exhort’ is interesting. It is from the Latin word exhortārī meaning to encourage greatly or to urge . So we are to encourage each other and urge them to remain faithful.
That seems like quite an assignment, until we realize that we aren’t alone, but we are “partners of Christ.” In his letter to the Philippians, Paul says “I can do all things through [Christ] who strengthens me.” We too have that same strength, so we need not be afraid of speaking up. Even though one of my gifts is not 'exhortation', I do enjoy sharing the story of God's loving interaction with all people, both in my books and when I am speaking to a group. This is something we can all do--share the story of what God has done for us.
Do you know someone who has the gift of exhortation, who can encourage you just by talking to you? Have you heard an inspirational sermon or read a book that urged you to try a new spiritual discipline or enlightened you about some portion of scripture? How do you feel after being with these friends?
One poem that has always inspired me is IF by Rudyard Kipling.
IF you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
IF you can trust yourself when all men doubt you
But make allowances for their doubting too;
IF you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;
IF you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
IF you can think - and not make thoughts your aim,
IF you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
IF you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build them up with worn-out tools;
IF you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
IF you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them "Hold on!"
IF you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch,
IF neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
IF all men count with you, but none too much;
IF you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth - of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!
For your journal: See if you can remember the last time you heard or read or saw something that inspired you. Write down all the details you can remember.
Think about how you can share the inspiration you got from this book, movie, or friend. Remember you don’t have to have special words, just tell your own story.
Was there a time when you felt God was really close? Write it down and think about how you could share this with your friends.
