The Letter to the Hebrews: What Faith Looks Like In Action

The last couple of days, we’ve been talking about living theology – how the study of God transforms our daily lives. Let’s take a closer look at Hebrews 12 and 13 to see what faith can look like in action for us in the modern world. I’m turning to the Message version of the Bible for a fresh perspective and presenting these action points as a list to create a call to action for us today!

There’s so much that today, we focus in on Hebrews 12. Hebrews 13 coming soon!

A Call to Action from Hebrews 12

1. Keep in mind all those pioneers of God who blazed the way.
2. Strip down, start running—and never quit!
3. Don’t let anything or anyone hold you back.
4. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in.
5. Study how he did it, because he never lost sight of where he was headed.
6. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over Jesus’ story again – that will shoot adrenaline into your souls!
7. Remember that others have suffered far worse than you have, including Jesus, so don’t feel sorry for yourselves.
8. Don’t shrug off God’s discipline, but don’t be crushed by it either, because He is treating you as His child.
9. Never forget that God is doing what is best for us, training us to live God’s holy best.
10. Don’t sit around on your hands! No more dragging your feet!
11. Clear the path for long-distance runners so no one will trip and fall, so no one will step in a hole and sprain an ankle. Help each other out. And run for it!
12. Work at getting along with each other and with God. Otherwise you’ll never get so much as a glimpse of God.
13. Make sure no one gets left out of God’s generosity.
14. Keep a sharp eye out for weeds of bitter discontent. A thistle or two gone to seed can ruin a whole garden in no time.
15. In response to Jesus’ proclamation of God’s grace, be thankful, brimming with worship, deeply reverent before God.

Read through this list slowly a couple of times and sit with it for a moment. Which of these action points in particular is God calling you to put into practice today?