Devotions on Hebrews 1:1-4–God Sustainer of All Things
July 8 – 14, 2019
Monday–God Sustainer of All Things
“Long ago God spoke” (Hebrews 1:1a).
Jerry and Kristen Connors had a fight. They eventually forgot what the fight was about, but they were still angry at each other and refused to talk to each other. They determined that giving the other person the silent treatment was a way to punish that person. Conversations took place between their children and them, but they refused to acknowledge each other’s presence. Only the radio was heard in the car and there was a deadly silence in their bedroom. Needless to say, their conflict was not resolved until the silence was broken. One of the Connors broke the stalemate and decided to talk.
God loves us so completely God can’t keep silent. Long ago God decided to break the silence and speak. God spoke to God’s wayward children and reassured them of God’s steadfast love, overwhelming grace and unconditional forgiveness. God’s words invite all of humankind into a conversation and a relationship with God.
Lord, speak to us. We need to hear your words of love. Amen.
Tuesday–God Sustainer of All Things
“In many and various ways by the prophets”
Kai wanted to tell his husband that he loved him. On Monday, Kai sent his husband flowers at his work. Tuesday Kai prepared his husband’s favorite meal. On Wednesday, Kai’s husband found notes saying “I love you,” scattered around the house, in the car and even in his office. Kai surprised his husband on Thursday with a box of chocolates and on Friday they went to the symphony together. On Saturday, Kai’s husband surprised him with breakfast in bed, a kiss and the words, “I have never felt so loved.”
God used the prophets in a variety of ways to declared God’s love for God’s people. The prophets proclaimed God’s messages of love and longing for a renewed relationship on many occasions over several hundred years. Only a few heard God’s words of love. The majority turned a deaf ear to God and continued in their rebellious ways. Still, God never stopped talking and beckoning God’s people to return.
God whispers to us God’s words of love in a variety of ways. In the silence of our meditation, God speaks to us and through the pages of the Bible. God communicates God’s love in the hug of a friend and the smile of a child. God speaks so that we may be assured of God’s love even in the darkest days and know of God’s continued presence.
Lord, open our ears that we may hear your words of love in the variety of ways that you chose to share your love with us. Amen.
Wednesday,–God Sustainer of All Things
“But in the last days he has spoken to us by his son” (Hebrews 1:2).
The British royals refer to themselves as “The Firm.” Their job is to be royal and to represent the Queen at various social, community and state functions. The Queen may not be able to attend the christening of a ship, a major sporting event, or meeting of the heads of state, but her son, grandsons or granddaughters-in-law can. The royal message can be given.
God sent God’s son to speak to us. Jesus proclaimed to us that the kingdom of God had arrived and was present with him. He spoke about God’s love for us and told us that we didn’t need to worry because God would take care of us just like God takes care of the lilies of the field. Jesus told us to care for our neighbor and left us with the one commandment, “To love one another as I have loved you” (John 13:35).
The Lord has spoken through the son. We have heard God’s voice and are empowered to be faithfully obedient to what God has said.
Thank you, Lord, for both your words of comfort and commission. Amen.
Thursday–God Sustainer of All Things
“He is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being” (Hebrews 1:3a).
When we see Jesus we see God. When Jesus reaches, out touches the leper and heals him, we see God reaching out to the outcasts, marginalized and sick. We see God lifting up the down trodden and the ignored, when Jesus speaks to the women and heals them and their loved ones. Jesus told the woman, who was caught in the act of adultery, to go and sin no more because he didn’t condemn her. We hear Jesus’ words of unconditional forgiveness to us, when we are overwhelmed and grieved by what we have said or done.
In Jesus we have seen God. As people of God, we desire to be like God and to reflect the characteristics of God in our daily lives. We know how we are to treat immigrants, people who are different than us and people who are in need. Jesus has shown us how we are to stand up against oppression, strive for justice and seek peace. Though Scripture, our eyes have beheld the glory of God.
Lord, we have seen you. Now send your Spirit and mold us into your image. Amen.
Friday–God Sustainer of All Things
He sustains all things by his powerful word” (Hebrews 1:3b).
Jenny had gone through some hard times. Within the past year, her father, with whom she had been very close, had passed away after a drawn out battle with cancer. She had lost her job due to a corporate merger and downsizing. The fact that her marriage of fourteen years had hit a rough spot added to her struggles. Jenny had struggled with depression. Her grief over the loss of her father mixed with the overwhelming sense of failure in her job and marriage had become unbearable burdens. Jenny had found herself feeling abandoned and had doubted God’s love.
Still, as Jenny looked back on the year, God had sustained her. Her friends had rallied around her and had been both listening ears and cheering squads. Jenny and her husband had been referred to a marriage counselor, who had helped them work through several issues in their marriage. A grief support group had been a life saver for Jenny and she had found a new job. It had been a tough year, but there was much for which Jenny could be thankful.
We may not be certain how God sustains the universe. We do know, though, that God moves powerfully in our lives to sustain us through the highs and lows of everyday life.
Thank you, Lord, for the many ways you sustain us each day of our lives. Amen.
Saturday–God Sustainer of All Things
“When he made purification for sins” (Hebrews 1:3c).
Karen had stood by and watched a friend be bullied. She had done nothing because Karen was afraid that, if she did she, would be bullied, too. DeShaun had followed the directions of his superiors at work, had done something that he knew was not right and had hurt several people. Bin’s teenage son was involved in an accident and had damaged the family car. Rather than be thankful that no one was hurt, Bin had gone ballistic over the damage to the car. The damage to the relationship he had with his son would take a long time to heal. Karen, DeShaun and Bin all felt a deep sense of guilt for their sins.
On Sunday, they came together and confessed their sins along with the other members of the congregation they attended. After their confession, the pastor raised her hands and proclaimed, “Almighty God, in his mercy, has given his Son to die for us and, for his sake forgives us all our sins. As a called and ordained minister of the Church of God and by his authority, I therefore declare to you the entire forgiveness of all your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” (LBW p. 56).
We are cleansed from our sin through the work of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection, in the waters of our baptisms. Jesus has done what we could not do. Thanks be to God!
We give thanks to you, O Lord our God. You have freed us from our guilt and shame. Amen.
Sunday–God Sustainer of All Things
”He sat down” (Hebrews 1:3d).
It had been a difficult day. Raul had spent it unraveling the mysteries of geometry and higher algebra for over one hundred students. The concepts were difficult to communicate and the students’ attention was difficult to maintain. Having been raised on a ranch, the only time that Raul had felt as tired as he presently did were the days when he had cut hay, bailed it and stacked it in the hay loft. Raul put on some music, poured himself a beer and sat down. His day was done.
In the first chapter of Genesis, we read that God worked six days creating the world. At the end of the sixth day, God looked over God’s work and said that is was good. God then sat down and rested on the seventh day. In similar fashion, Jesus from the cross looked down and said, “It is finished.” He then gave up the Spirit and sat down. Jesus’ work was done.
Today we live the abundant life and experience the blessings of life in the kingdom because of what Jesus has done.
Open our lives, Lord, so that we, along with the people around us and the world in which we live, may experience fully all that you have worked so hard to provide for us. Amen.