Hebrews 10:35-36 NIV So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.
A co-worker of mine gave me a devotional quite a while back and normally I don’t have a ton of time to read devotionals at work. I have to do my God time in the morning before I come to work so that I will be able to work. Today though something made me read this devotional, my book mark was in July which means that was the last time I read it. In the devotional the scripture above was used, it was a story about a woman who’s husband was trying for a job that would cause them to move and she really did not want to. This scripture jumped out at her from her Bible reading.
I have a habit of taking a scripture going to the book, I like to read before it quite a bit back and then after it. To get some context. So I read the entire chapter of Hebrews 10. The section where this scripture begins is titled “A Call to Persevere in Faith”. Now I have seen Hebrews 10:36 many times before, as a matter of fact I have an index card of Hebrews 10:36. I had not seen the line before though so I was curious as to how it related. Now I also like to see the other versions of these scriptures so I go to Biblegateway.com to read up and the scripture of the day is…BAM… Hebrews 10:35-36 so something tells me this is the scripture of the day!
How many times in life do we profess with our mouths how much we believe in God and then when a trial begins we are quick to forget, we lose confidence. In those times of trial we very much need to quickly remember where our confidence needs to be and stick with it. Maybe sometimes God lets us loose the confidence because when we remember or get reminded it will be a “BANG (sound effect of 2X4 hitting your/my head) – here’s your sign” moment that we won’t likely forget for a good while.
Having lost yet another job to layoff (2nd time in 5 years) didn’t cause me to lose confidence, however close to the end of that time (almost a year) I did begin to really wonder. My unemployment ended in December and I still did not have a job, I would not have one until February. My prospects were looking mighty slim. On days when I pondered my circumstances it was overwhelming. The weight of it all just really was at times almost too much. I knew all too well that I needed to keep my head on straight in order to be successful in finding the right job. This is not an easy task when your home, stability and livelihood are threatened, did I mention I am also a single parent – mine is the only income for our house. Oh I knew I could stay with family or friends, none of them would allow me to be homeless or go hungry … I wanted to not have to depend on someone else.
God certainly found creative ways to keep me going. I volunteered at Church, I watched uplifting movies, I talked to friends, I did things that were effort to keep my spirit positive because I knew that if I jumped in that pit – I may never come back up out of it. I had to hold tight to the confidence that God had this, I just needed to let Him stay in the drivers seat!
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank You for giving that confidence in us that You are our light, our truth and our way. Help us to remember this always and especially in hard times when we need to remember most. Help us see that You are always working in our lives even if we don’t see it, understand it or acknowledge it. Let us be always grateful for Your timing. Thank You for the lessons, for the times both good and bad and most of all for Your never-ending LOVE, in that we have confidence. In Jesus Name we pray - Amen
For those who might want to read what I did – before and after. For those who are interested in additional versions – Here you go.
A Call to Persevere in Faith – 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 under foot, 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,”[a] and again, “The Lord will judge his people.”[b] 31 It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. 32 Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you endured in a great conflict full of suffering. 33 Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. 34 You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. 35 So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. 36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.
Hebrews 10: 32-39 (The Message) Remember those early days after you first saw the light? Those were the hard times! Kicked around in public, targets of every kind of abuse—some days it was you, other days your friends. If some friends went to prison, you stuck by them. If some enemies broke in and seized your goods, you let them go with a smile, knowing they couldn’t touch your real treasure. Nothing they did bothered you, nothing set you back. So don’t throw it all away now. You were sure of yourselves then. It’s still a sure thing! But you need to stick it out, staying with God’s plan so you’ll be there for the promised completion.
King James Version: 34 For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance. 35 Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. 36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.