Trying Too Hard

 

Trying Too Hard

Hebrews 8: ⁷ If there had been nothing wrong with the first covenant, there would have been no need for a second one. ⁸ But God finds fault with his people when he says,

“The days are coming, says the Lord,
    when I will draw up a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah.
⁹ It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors
    on the day I took them by the hand and led them out of Egypt.
They were not faithful to the covenant I made with them,
    and so I paid no attention to them.
¹⁰ Now, this is the covenant that I will make with the people of Israel
    in the days to come, says the Lord:
I will put my laws in their minds
    and write them on their hearts.
I will be their God,
    and they will be my people.
¹¹ None of them will have to teach their friends
    or tell their neighbors,
    ‘Know the Lord.’
For they will all know me,
    from the least to the greatest.
¹² I will forgive their sins
    and will no longer remember their wrongs.”

¹³ By speaking of a new covenant, God has made the first one old; and anything that becomes old and worn out will soon disappear.

 

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“Don’t set your alarm, but ask GOD to wake you up” were the instructions of someone who was well meaning. I tried it and overslept. After this exercise I questioned GOD. “Why didn’t you wake me up?”

 

• I wanted to see if this GOD thing would work.
• I wanted to test whether or not GOD would do “as I say?”
• I wanted to have special powers that I didn’t possess.

 

Paul, the assumed writer, says some remarkable things about what GOD did for humanity. He mentions that GOD took care of the relationship that was broken and lost by a permanent repair through a second covenant.

 

My Observations:

• GOD did not leave anything up to chance when it came to having a relationship with me.
• GOD placed HIS laws in my mind and wrote them on my heart.
• GOD made me “know the LORD” and has forgiven me of my sins and does not remember any wrong I did.

 

It was all GOD! I mean, HE knew that I would not choose HIM, yet HE chose me. HE took it one step further. HE wrote HIS laws in my mind and in my heart. I do not have the responsibility to try to convince someone to “know the LORD.” But this seems confusing. What about the great commission?

 

You and I are part of the “I will.” HE never says how HE will put the laws in the minds of people or how HE will be their GOD. I am glad HE uses people to tell the Good News!

 

Challenge

• What words from the writer are shocking to you?
• Do you feel relieved that you do not have the responsibility of forcing people to accept JESUS?
• Will you simply “be” a follower of JESUS and be ready to explain your relationship with HIM to anyone HE places in front of you today?