The author of this letter is directed to Jewish Christians—converts to the Christian faith. Many are being tempted to return to Judaism. But there can be no turning back. Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies. His death, resurrection, and ascension has provided them and all of us with the way to God’s presence eternally. However, the concern now has to do with the needs of the “sluggish” Christians. Their first enthusiasm has been wavering. They still practice loving acts of service that God is aware of, but they need to mature in their faith. In Hebrews 6:12 we read: “We do not want you to become lazy but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.”
There may be times in our Christian lives that we experience a drought—arid times. Participating in church activities can become mundane. Do you ever consider the enthusiasm of some who are new to the faith or those who have been renewed in the Spirit? They are excited about their new relationship with God and are eager to become involved in service projects. We may even envy their exuberance a bit and recall times when we felt the same joy in service. Sometimes we may feel a sluggishness in our own service to our fellow man, the light and joy fading, and we hope to again feel the need to be energized by the Holy Spirit.
In Hebrews 6:11, we read, “We hope that each one of you will display the zeal that will make your hope come true.” We are assured that this light and joy can and will return. God knows each of us and will strengthen us and renew that zeal. A very brief statement of fact that I utter often is “God is good!” And he IS good—all the time! He knows what’s going on in our lives and knows our needs. He will strengthen us and renew the zeal that may be waning. He will restore that light and joy in our hearts, and we can be assured of the promise of eternal life with him.
Prayer: Father, send your Holy Spirit to enter our hearts anew that we will experience new levels of “zeal” in service in your name. Amen.
Elinor Schieman