Yesterday I finally sat down, found the website, and printed off another copy so I could begin the 'catching-up process'. It's going to require some definite dedication, but I'll get there!
I found myself in Hebrews. It's funny (yet not so unusual) - I've read Hebrews before (I know this because of the scattered passages I've got underlined or highlighted already), but somehow, I completely missed the main points that stem through the entire book! I must not have been paying very close attention. Silly, isn't it?
I was actually reading in chapter 5, which talks about Jesus as the Great High Priest. It specifically stresses how God appointed Jesus as the High Priest and the ultimate perfect sacrifice for our sins.
5:8-10 "Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek."
More than once throughout the whole book, it mentions how Jesus 'suffered when tempted, to help those who are being tempted.' (2:18)
After reading 5:10, I continued on down to verse 11-14.
"About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil."
Ouch. It was like a slap in the face AND a splash of cold water! But it was 100% deserved. I have become dull of hearing! How many times have I chosen my own path, instead of heeding the Holy Spirit's gentle voice urging me to do otherwise? How many times have I been taught, over and over again, the basic lessons of the Lord and His great love for me, before a light bulb finally goes off in my head? How many times have I not completely trusted Him to keep His promises? How many times have I forgotten His promises all together?
Too many.
I thank the Lord for His reminders that I'm not as good at this as I think I am sometimes. If you relate with this at all, welcome to the club! Let's all be encouraged in the fact that we all struggle , but also know that Jesus faced temptations just like we do every single day, so we are not alone.
My prayer is that we would live on "solid food, which is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil".
