Verse: Hebrews 6: 4-8
It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age 6 and who have fallen[a] away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. 7 Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. 8 But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned
Devotion
If you have been on Instagram and/or TikTok lately, you may have stumbled on the song by Tay Money about understanding the assignment. I like to think I usually fall into this category. However, this song is not playing in my head after reading verse 4 through 6. The inner dialogue is quite the opposite and goes something like, “Well great; this set of passages should certainly be uplifting.” I feel a lot better after reading encouraging scripture. It’s just the same as the desire for praise versus criticism.
Let’s go back to the assignment. How far does one need to fall away to be considered out of luck according to Jesus? If I mess up enough, my errors or neglect of my faith will cause public shame. This really doesn’t sit well with me as I was always under the impression that if I go to Jesus and ask for forgiveness, then I am called to move on as a result of God’s grace and perfect love. Sure, that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t strive for improvement, but where does the grace end and the “public disgrace” begin?
After a bit of digging, I discovered the call for spiritual maturity. It seems that the verses are written in drastic or intense terms to incite us to grow in our faith instead of repeating past sinful practices. People tend to respond better when given limits. There are times when a bit of a scare tactic can bring about change. We are not to be complacent in our faith, but have the desire to spend more time with Jesus and be more like Him.
It is really easy to become enthralled in the busyness of life. I say this because I feel it myself. I have allowed seasons, both time periods and our current holiday season, to distract me from my most important and fruitful priority. If you identify with this at all, let it be a time of reflection. I recently heard on the radio that believers become all-consumed with ministry and oftentimes make it out to be much more involved than it needs to be. There are opportunities as we are driving in the car with a quick wave, a warm smile, letting a car in when merging, holding the door, sending a card with words of hope, taking a few minutes to actually listen to someone who is expressing concern, and the list goes on. What are the small, but incredibly impactful opportunities for growth and ministry today, tomorrow, at work, in your neighborhood and at home? Small can be mighty. We can grow!
Prayer
Dear Jesus, thank you for the guidance you have given me just in pushing through this devotion. I appreciate the opportunity to be challenged by your Word. Yes, it is often a source of great comfort, but it’s also for direction. Guidelines are not always in a package with a pretty bow. Let us draw near to you and be enlightened on areas we can mature in our faith versus missing out on a life aligned with you.
Author: Megan Ahern
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