Exercising the Heart

The time we live in demands our heart be strong. Hebrews goes right into why we need a Savior and why He had to suffer. Anyone reading this book can see that Jesus is the Messiah. Blood is the underlying word. Paul uses the grace of God in closing out the book.

We are saved by grace and given abundant life. Paul says to strengthen our heart in the grace of God.  The first move of grace is God's goodness to us. The Bible says he was "the only begotten of God full of grace and truth."  We would not have moved toward God if He had not moved first. We would never have taken it upon ourselves. God beat us to the punch. He is so good to us. He saved us by His grace and wrapped our souls with it. We should be appreciative of His mercy. He tells us it is good that our heart be established with grace.

Verse 9 goes on to say that we are not to get carried away with rituals. God wants us to recognize his grace and goodness. We have to exercise our heart in it to be strong. Paul says in II Timothy to be strong in grace. In full appreciation of His actions we should exercise ourselves by putting those same acts of grace and goodness to others.  It's about the golden rule–do unto others as you'd have them to do you.  You want to be treated well. Treat others the same. Be good to others!  We cannot have a heart that can be moved by cruelty.

Verse 1 plainly says "let brotherly love continue." It doesn't say do your best to love others. It's hard to do but with the goodness of God in our heart we can love.  Grace makes it possible.  God challenges us to love as He does. We have a choice in the matter. If someone is cruel to us, the choice to love or be cruel to them is ours. Choose to show love.

Verse 2 tells us to be kind to those we don't know. "Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares."  We need to be hospitable. This day and time it's hard for we must be careful of who and what we encounter. Most times we can go the second mile. Be good to those we know nothing about. Just being polite goes a long way.

Verse 3 says "Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body."  Remember those imprisoned and for many it's the conditions in their life. They are not completely free; they live under severe strain. Often we pray for them and move on; we aren't touched by their situations. God feels our bonds. Remember others in their afflictions.

Verse 4 says "Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge." He starts out by saying we are to be good to our brothers and sisters in the Lord; he moves on to tell us to be good to strangers; after that he tells us to remember those in bonds. Now he tells us to be good to our family. The home is under attack. We need to remember to take care of our family. The intimacy of marriage is based on love. Today there is a total disregard for love; relationships are based on lust. This is not being good–it is against God, others, and our own body and soul. The goodness of God establishes a marriage relationship. Lust never satisfies. Love makes you good to each other. Love never fails.

Grace is someone being good to you when you don't deserve it. The devil wants us to forget about grace; he wants us to take being good lightly. We've heard "be good" from a child on up through school. When we are taught to be good in this regard, the principles of Christianity and being good to each other is easier.