Hebrews 4:11-13

Summary retelling of Hebrews 4:11-13

We should be well motivated to enter God’s rest, lest our hearts be swayed into disobedience and we find ourselves on the outside looking in.  For the Word of God is a sharp sword, capable of cutting and separating into two.  It pierces deeper into the body than we can imagine, separating not only joint from marrow but soul from spirit and thoughts from the discerning of the heart.  Nobody is able to hide anything from God; we are completely exposed before Him.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Again, note the importance of obedience.  Our obedience isn’t about earning salvation.  Our obedience is about keeping us from losing the gift that God graciously gives to us.  Our obedience is about keeping us in the fold, not getting us in there to begin with.  To make an analogy from school, we do not get to go to school because we earn it.  We go to school because we are invited to come.  However, once we are at school our hard work helps keep us there.

Do you have a spiritual work ethic that will help keep you with God?  How important is it to ask God into your spiritual work ethic?  Why is God important as a regular part of your spiritual walk?

Second Thought:

Nothing can be hidden from God.  Everything we do will be exposed to God.  We will be accountable for every one of our actions.  As we confess in worship, we are guilty of what we have done and what we have left undone.  We will be guilty of what we meant to do and even the things we did not mean to do.  Thankfully, we know that the repentant heart will find God’s forgiveness.  But that does not mean that we should take advantage of God’s grace.  We need to practice obedience so that we are prepared to represent God whenever He asks and to be humble when we don’t.

How does it make you feel to know that nothing can be hidden from God?  What do you think about when you read passages like this?  Do you ever become numb to the idea that God hears all and sees all?

Third Thought:

God’s Word is sharper than a two edged sword.  God’s Word can separate our thoughts from our actions.  God’s Word can pierce us to our heart and force us to reconsider what we are doing.  God’s Word speaks truth into our lives like nothing and nobody else can do.  Our human ability to rationalize out thoughts and actions cannot stand against God’s immovable and consistently truthful Word.

Why is this passage able to speak to the importance of a person being engaged in God’s Word daily?  Do you think there is any relationship with a human being that can be more important than your relationship with God’s Word?  What is it about God’s Word that can speak truth more consistently and more directly than a friend or a parent can?

Passage for Tomorrow: Hebrews 4:14-16