Hope Sure

Hebrews 6:9-12
 ⁹Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are confident of better things in your case—things that accompany salvation. ¹⁰God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. 
¹¹We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. ¹²We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.


// THOUGHTS:

What a great encouragement for all of us to continue in the faith.  The writer of Hebrews tells us that we can be sure in the hope we profess (our salvation) by continuing in our love for God and love for others.  It is our outward "proof" that we are sure in our salvation.  Verse 12 goes on to laziness which we know is one thing that will definitely stop us from pursuing our loving God and loving people - the visual proof of our salvation which springs forth from the changed life that has been brought about from accepting Christ as Lord and Savior. 

If laziness (as verse 12 says) is one that will hold us back from pursuing, what is the opposite of it?  That is, diligence, looking at those who have made it to the finish line through faith and patience.  Diligence is defined as, "constant and earnest effort to accomplish what is undertaken; persistent exertion of body or mind."  There will be times when we want to give up loving God or loving people but through diligence - constant, earnest, persistent - in all that we do just as forefathers did, we can also make it to the finish line and more so, make our hope sure.  


// BELLE:

DILIGENCE - don't give up, don't give in to worthless things, persevere, be constant, earnest - serious, sincere, showing depth.  


God is not forgetting what I am doing as I continue to love Him through people and directly with my relationship with Him.  Yet, I must continue to be diligent in pursuing that love for Him by not being lazy even at times that I don't feel like it.  I want my hope to be sure daily by doing what needs to be done on my end and of course, God's enormous grace that will enable me to do so.  


Be diligent.  Make it to the finish line, Belle.  


// Lord, remove any form of laziness in my life that hinders my diligence in pursuing my love for you in the way I live my life daily.  I pray that You will guide me and I want to thank you for Your great grace that enables me to go through life daily with the surety of my salvation.  Help me to have that assurance daily not positionally only but also practically with my daily living.  Thank you again for Your Word that is so inspiring and always rebukes me at times when I need it.  You are alive Lord and I praise You always.  In Jesus' name, amen.