True Grit

TRUE GRIT

Hebrews 12:18-24

”¹⁸ For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest ¹⁹ and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them. ²⁰ For they could not endure the order that was given, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.” ²¹ Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.” 

²² But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, ²³ and to the assembly^[a] of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, ²⁴ and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.”

Do you remember how it felt to be disciplined as a kid? I remember my face feeling flush, feeling like my parents didn’t love me, and either wanting to yell and hit or hide in my fort.  I remember standing off with my parents; a mental game of grit… only to find that after my will broke was when the comfort came. 

Have you been disciplined as an adult? Either by your workplace, possibly still your parents, maybe even law enforcement?? It stinks… It’s embarrassing. It’s demoralizing. But we learn from it, don’t we? Whether we are in the right or typically in the wrong. 

Seeing as how we are all sinners, I will make the assumption that God has disciplined us all. Be encouraged that we are disciplined because we are his children and he does it for our good. Know that when you want to fight Him or hide from Him, God doesn’t plan to meet you with punishment and shame. You are going to God, the judge of all, who willed for his son Jesus, the one with true grit, to die for us so that our relationship might be restored, and ultimately join in the heavenly Jerusalem. 

Take a few minutes to read the whole chapter in its entirety. Let the words soak in, cover you, build you up, and give you strength in knowing who our God is.  

- Natalie