A Call To Return

As I have been studying through the book of Hebrews, I am seeing that all throughout scripture we can see the faithful, merciful hand of God extending to sinful man, warning them of their mistakes and giving them the opportunity to come back to the Lord. Laced all through the book of Hebrews, the writer of Hebrews, continually warns the Jewish Believers of the early church to take note of their actions and how they can and have led to a life that is far from God. Due to the persecution they were receiving from the Roman government (who was threatening their physical well being) and the pressure they were experiencing from their Jewish family and friends (shunning them because of their belief in Jesus as Messiah), these Messianic Christians were wavering in their faith and falling back into the traditions of men. This was causing them to drift from their faith in Jesus Christ. In drifting they were not receiving the rest that comes from fully trusting in God, which then in turn led them to a life of laziness. This laziness turned into willful sin, which then became flagrant disobedience and rebellion against God.

While these warnings were written to the early church, they are as much for the Believer today as they were decades before. God’s mercy is clearly seen in His desire to draw the wandering hearts of His children back close to His heart that they may do His will, walk in His way and bring glory to His name. “I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love; I lifted the yoke from their neck and bent down to feed them” (Hosea 11:4)

These warnings are given that we may inspect our hearts and ask God to shine light on those areas that are not submitted to Him. Through looking at theses warnings, the Lord revealed to me where my heart had been over the past two years. I could clearly look back and see how I had first drifted from the fervor I had once had in Christ. That led me to a heart of unbelief and doubt, which cause me not to recognize or rest in His promises. From this unrest I became lazy in my walk with the Lord, choosing not to listen and obey to the things of the Lord. As I slacked in my Christian walk, my heart became open to sinning with no thought or conviction, with an apathetic attitude and spirit. Eventually, my life began to display outright disobedience to the things of the Lord, and now I can see that I had been walking in rebellion to Him, and sadly, causing others to stumble as well. I feel so blessed, though, that He has opened my eyes to allow me to see the truth; that, in His loving kindness, He has called me to return to Him and once again be restored as His child in right standing before Him. He is my loving Father who is concerned with my relationship to Him and desires my heart to be His. He is my jealous God who has “drawn [me] into the wilderness to speak tenderly to [me]” (Hosea 2:14).