Saturday Morning in Hebrews

You know that feeling when you wake up on a Saturday morning after a GREAT nights sleep, without an alarm, and the sun is pouring in through the tiny slits in your closed blinds? One of those mornings when you don't have to be anywhere or necessarily HAVE to do anything... This is how I woke up this morning. I wondered, "When was the last time I felt this way? When was the last time I woke up refreshed, blissful, and with a sense of peace?" I made my way to the front of the house where Husband was enjoying some coffee, and Sperry was squeezing a green and yellow chew toy. After making a smoothie, I wrapped my gray sweater around my shoulders, headed down into the office, snuggled up on the red couch, and opened my Bible to Hebrews chapter 6. 

Every time I read anything in Hebrews, I feel like I'm reading it for the first time. Hebrews is humbling. Some parts are incredibly deep, and I fully realize that I don't understand the magnitude or depth of a passage, and then other parts are as clear as the blue sky is this morning.  

I get to Hebrews 6 verse 9... "But, beloved," Oh how I love that name! "... we are confident of better things concerning you."

Confidence. Something the Mary Kay directors have been talking a lot about recently... "I believe in you," they say.

Do I believe in me? Am I confident in me? 

The author of Hebrews, not only he, but his companions, they are CONFIDENT of better things concerning the Jewish believers. Wow, what power comes with that word! What affirmation! But, what kinds of things are he referring to?

"Things that accompany salvation.. For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister." (Hebrews 6:9-10)

I re-read the verse. So many thoughts... 

"And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises." (Hebrews 6:11-12)

The author of Hebrews was confident of his desire for the Jewish people, confident of their ability to be diligent, confident that they would fully experience all things that accompany salvation, confident that they would put their diligence not only towards serving others but towards becoming more like Christ. 

The author knew that there were others who (through faith and patience) had experienced all of the things that accompany salvation. So, he encourages the Jewish believers to imitate them. What do they do? How do they act/speak/live? Be like them. Why? Because the way we act/speak/live directly impacts who we become. And these whom the author is referring to were becoming more like Christ. 

How different would our lives look like if we confidently put our efforts into this kind of diligence? If we knew our diligence would actually mean better things for us. 

If diligence would produce Saturday mornings like this one...

Waking up with a refreshed spirit,

Waking up blissful because I am His beloved,

Waking up with a sense of peace due to the assurance of salvation.

Where does my current diligence take me? Who do I imitate? ... What am I inheriting?