October 12 - Hebrews 1: Tough Read

I'm realizing that my thoughts and feelings about beginning the book of Hebrews are similar to when we were about to read Romans - a little bit of dread because of the difficulty of the reading and of understanding its message as a love letter. So, I'm trying to get the context, audience, and main purpose of this letter in my head as a framework for taking it in and letting the Holy Spirit work it in my life.  Peterson introduces this book written to the Hebrew people, with these thoughts,

"...religion - the well-intentioned efforts we make to 'get it all together' for God - can very well get in the way of what God is doing for us. The main and central action is everywhere and always what God has done, is doing, and will do for us. Jesus is the revelation of that action. Our main and central task is to live in responsive obedience....

"But more often than not we become impatiently self-important along the way and decide to improve matters... we add on, we supplement, we embellish....

"That's when it's time to read and pray our way through the letter to the Hebrews again, written for "too religious" Christians, for "Jesus-and" Christians.... This letter deletes the hyphens, the add-ons. The focus becomes clear and sharp again: God's action in Jesus."  (Intro. to Hebrews)

God is asking me to get back to the basics, to unclutter, to simplify, to return to the message of "through His Son, by his Son... it will all belong to the Son... He holds everything together..." (1:1-3). Why do I complicate and add on unnecessary things in the first place? Because, like the Hebrew Christians, I want what's familiar and comforting when the going gets tough. "I shrink back to arranging for my own satisfaction."

Now, this letter is coming into focus as a continuation of God's love letter to me, not a difficult theological treatise to figure out. It's a call to Himself and nothing else. He is more than enough.

You're God, and on the throne for good; your rule makes everything right....

You, Master, started it all, laid earth's foundations, then crafted the stars in the sky....you'll stay the same, year after year; you'll never fade, you'll never wear out. (1:8, 10-12)