Hebrews 12:12-15
12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;
13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
Daily Devotion
Repetition
By Karen Dauenhauer
There are gifts given to all of us. Some seem to blossom at a very young age. Children who are four to five years old that play classical piano, know many languages, or have an extraordinary IQ and skip ahead years in education. Perhaps you know of someone who has been blessed (and some may feel it makes life harder in areas). I have not been blessed with that kind of gift from God, but I have been given the opportunity to learn. We learn from repetition. Repeating exercises makes muscles stronger, gives more flexibility to movement and can overall make us feel better emotionally.
“Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;” Hebrews 12:12
No babe, human or animal, starts out with full strength in their limbs. Yet they have a pull ingrained in them to rise. You can call it genetic, some may credit evolution (WRONG), or you can give credit to God. A call to higher ground requires effort, constant attention, and repetition.
“Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord;” Hebrews 12:14
In order to follow, there needs to a leader. Paul told us to follow him (Paul) as he follows Christ. We are all leaders to someone. It may be our children, grandchildren, nieces, or nephews. It may be our friends, co-workers, or neighbors. Their obedience or lack thereof is not our responsibility. What is our job, our purpose, is to follow Christ. His plan, His way, His timing, His calling. God is asking us to rise to a new height in Him, He desires us to be strengthened in our spirits, our gifts, our love for others and in our walk. I know we are to gather our strength from the Father, but just as we build muscle and gain flexibility in the flesh, we can deepen our commitment and broaden our effectiveness by obeying the Word. Our reliance on God increases when we relive the prayers He has answered, quote the promises He has given us. Believe, and repeat.
We all started out as a newborn babe in Christ. Through ups and downs, success, and mistakes we can learn from life. I haven’t always been headed in the right direction, sometimes feeling like my feet are running but going nowhere. And yes, I have done a few re-runs. But I know where my help comes from. I know who holds tomorrow, and I know who is in control. If you’re struggling with something (we all do) remind yourself, remind the enemy, remind the problem. God is. And where God is, there is hope.