Be Exhorted

DEVOTION

HEBREWS

BE EXHORTED

Heb 13:22-25

22 Brothers, I urge you to bear with my word of exhortation, for I have written you only a short letter. 23 I want you to know that our brother Timothy has been released. If he arrives soon, I will come with him to see you. 24 Greet all your leaders and all God's people. Those from Italy send you their greetings. 25 Grace be with you all. NIV

The last of this letter which is the final salutation, most of which is of a personal nature and so there must be something here for us to learn from. Of course we could focus on bearing with this word of exhortation as that may be more difficult than it sounds. When we are exhorted by the Word of God, do we accept it, bear with it? Or do we hear it, think that is was sad that so and so was not there to hear it, for they really should have as they are in need of it far more than we are? Do we take exhortation personally within our own being? Some might approve the Word of God with a historical view, seeing the failures of those men of the past and how God dealt with them, but not seeing the significance for today. However we approach the Word of God, it should be with the idea of being exhorted to walking in a way which pleases God. Surely that does include a greeting of all the saints, even those who we may have some not so good feelings about. Then again we should be exhorted to rid ourselves of those feelings, so that we can earnestly greet all the saints. Lastly we should be able to seek the grace of God for all of our brothers and sisters in Christ. If we have any ill feelings at all about any of our fellow believers it might well interfere with asking for the grace of God to rest upon them. If we feel envy, jealousy, bitterness, inferior, superior, or for that matter any feelings other than the pure love of God for them we surely would not be able to speak the Grace of God on them with a whole heart. And if we speak it, but harbor something within, it will be worse than saying nothing. We cannot speak falsehoods, but must speak the truth or do not speak at all. So let us first accept the exhortation from the Word, and let us greet each other with the love of God, seeking His grace for their lives. Let us be exhorted.