What scares you? A recession? Politics? Losing a client? Losing a job? Losing a child?
Hebrews 4:1 tells us what should terrorize us. The word is translated fear in most of our Bibles, but terror also works, and, I would suggest, works better here. It is the feeling we get when we face an overwhelming force. Most times when that word shows up people try to make it reverence. It is not here. It is terror.
But look at what is to terrorize us, one of our brothers or sisters coming short of entering into God’s rest. This is not the first time the writer of Hebrews has said something like this. In 3:12 he takes the idea of Proverbs 4:23 and brings it into the community of believers while expanding it to a corporate responsibility.
The force of these two passages seems to indicate that what I should fear, what should terrorize me is one of my brothers or sisters in the faith not entering into God’s rest. The precursor to that in 3:12 is that I am to look closely at my brothers and sisters to make sure that they are not developing an evil, unbelieving heart, thus falling away from God.
The language is strong. The assignment is clear. I have not seen much evidence of obedience to that in the Body. To the contrary, there seems to be a reticence to speak or ask questions about one’s walk with God. It is uncomfortable. It is probing into personal areas. It is left to the pastor or the counselor. Problem is, there are more people in the Body than the pastor or counselor can reasonably be expected to help (perhaps more on that later).
I am not good at this either. It is uncomfortable to probe. As an application of my ongoing study in Jeremiah I have begun to ask the men with whom I meet, “What is the Lord teaching you out of the Word these days?” It is a start for me. It has begun some really good conversations.
I am coming to the conclusion that I am not terrorized by the right things.
But look at what is to terrorize us, one of our brothers or sisters coming short of entering into God’s rest. This is not the first time the writer of Hebrews has said something like this. In 3:12 he takes the idea of Proverbs 4:23 and brings it into the community of believers while expanding it to a corporate responsibility.
The force of these two passages seems to indicate that what I should fear, what should terrorize me is one of my brothers or sisters in the faith not entering into God’s rest. The precursor to that in 3:12 is that I am to look closely at my brothers and sisters to make sure that they are not developing an evil, unbelieving heart, thus falling away from God.
The language is strong. The assignment is clear. I have not seen much evidence of obedience to that in the Body. To the contrary, there seems to be a reticence to speak or ask questions about one’s walk with God. It is uncomfortable. It is probing into personal areas. It is left to the pastor or the counselor. Problem is, there are more people in the Body than the pastor or counselor can reasonably be expected to help (perhaps more on that later).
I am not good at this either. It is uncomfortable to probe. As an application of my ongoing study in Jeremiah I have begun to ask the men with whom I meet, “What is the Lord teaching you out of the Word these days?” It is a start for me. It has begun some really good conversations.
I am coming to the conclusion that I am not terrorized by the right things.
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