{"id":22251,"date":"2024-07-24T15:45:00","date_gmt":"2024-07-24T14:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mailchi.mp\/urc\/daily-devotion-for-wednesday-24th-july-2024"},"modified":"2024-07-24T15:45:00","modified_gmt":"2024-07-24T14:45:00","slug":"daily-devotion-for-wednesday-24th-july-2024","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.trinitywimbledon.org\/index.php\/daily-devotion-for-wednesday-24th-july-2024\/","title":{"rendered":"Daily Devotion for Wednesday 24th July 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hebrews 12:1-13<\/strong> (from the NRSV (Anglicised), with OT quote in italics)<\/span><\/p>\n

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.<\/span><\/p>\n

3 Consider him who endured such hostility against himself from sinners, so that you may not grow weary or lose heart. 4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as children\u2014<\/span>
    \u2018My child, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,<\/span>
      or lose heart when you are punished by him;<\/span>
6   for the Lord disciplines those whom he loves,<\/span>
      and chastises every child whom he accepts.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

7 Endure trials for the sake of discipline. God is treating you as children; for what child is there whom a parent does not discipline? 8 If you do not have that discipline in which all children share, then you are illegitimate and not his children. 9 Moreover, we had human parents to discipline us, and we respected them. Should we not be even more willing to be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share his holiness. 11 Now, discipline always seems painful rather than pleasant at the time, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.<\/span><\/p>\n

12 Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Reflection<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Chapter ten urged the readers to live by \u2018endurance\u2019 and \u2018faith\u2019 (10:36-39). Chapter eleven set out many examples of faith. Now the writer picks up the theme of endurance. Like runners shedding needless kit, the readers will need focus and determination. They must \u2018run with perseverance\u2019 (v.1) \u2013 persistently, steadily, shrugging off the knocks and shame of the course they take (vv.2, 3).<\/span><\/p>\n

The faithful of the Old Testament are \u2018a cloud of witnesses\u2019 (v.1). Like spectators in a stadium they look on. They also have testimony to give. For they have been \u2018attested, approved\u2019 (11:39), and they in turn can witness to God\u2019s faithfulness. They are around us, and Jesus is ahead. So let the readers \u2018look to Jesus\u2019, just as faithful people in the past looked forward. As \u2018pioneer\u2019 he has shown his people a way through suffering into heaven. As \u2018perfecter\u2019 he gives them access to God\u2019s presence (v.2). He has \u2018endured\u2019, and with him so can they (v.3).<\/span><\/p>\n

The way ahead is likely to be rough, as it was for many of the people in chapter eleven. This does not mean that God has opted out. Hebrews speaks of \u2018discipline\u2019 (vv.5-11), which we recognise as part of our ordinary human growth. Indeed the word translated \u2018discipline\u2019 actually has quite a purposeful meaning \u2013 something like \u2018formation\u2019 or \u2018training\u2019. Under God, even rough experiences can be a means of learning and development. Trials test us, but they also mature us. <\/span><\/p>\n

So it is important to run with purpose (v.12). The need for \u2018straight paths\u2019 to avoid injury makes sense to a runner: rough ground can be hazardous. The thought here may be that Christians have a mutual responsibility. We must help each other find safe and wholesome ways through life, lest any of us lose momentum, balance or well-being.<\/span><\/p>\n

Prayer<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Lord Jesus Christ,<\/span>
    you go ahead of us and beckon us forward.<\/span>
Please help us to run with courage and confidence,<\/span>
    even when the path is rough or rocky,<\/span>
    without losing heart or losing direction,<\/span>
    guiding one another to the best way ahead.<\/span>
Our leader and our Lord, we want to follow you. Amen.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hebrews 12:1-13 (from the NRSV (Anglicised), with OT quote in italics) 1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus … <\/p>\n

Continue reading “Daily Devotion for Wednesday 24th July 2024”<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[162],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22251","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.trinitywimbledon.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22251","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.trinitywimbledon.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.trinitywimbledon.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.trinitywimbledon.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.trinitywimbledon.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22251"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.trinitywimbledon.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22251\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22252,"href":"https:\/\/www.trinitywimbledon.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22251\/revisions\/22252"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.trinitywimbledon.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22251"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.trinitywimbledon.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22251"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.trinitywimbledon.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22251"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}