Level Paths

One of my favourite chapters in the New Testament is Hebrews 11 - the chapter of so many heroes of faith. It opens with laying the foundation of what faith is - verse 1 begins with, "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for." Then it goes on to list some of the ancients, "By faith Abel...by faith Enoch...by faith Noah...by faith Abraham...by faith Isaac...," and on and on it goes. I love that chapter 12 follows like a challenge to us; to improve our living and step up to God's best for us. I don't know about you, but I can be encouraged in doing right over and over and still need to hear it again. That is what chapter 12 does for me, and with such authority when it is combined with chapter 11 because it calls us to higher living, followed by the testimonies of so many that we know and love from the Old & New Testament who were faithful. I am so thankful for the faithful ones; back then and currently around the world today - my heart soars and is refreshed when I hear of stories of those who choose obedience to Christ no matter the cost.

So how does this all tie into the title of "Level Paths"? Let's look at the first part of Hebrews 12, starting in verse 1, "Therefore (because of all those faithful ancients), since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles us, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." What a packed verse - calling us higher because of those who have gone before, reminding us of their faithfulness, challenging us to throw off not just sin but EVERYTHING that hinders. There is so much in our culture and generation that can hinder and it is not all "sin". I think of the distractions that I battle against in daily living - they are often not sin but merely time wasters that still pull me away from focusing on God's best for me, my family and those He has placed around my circle of influence. It is in verse 13 that level paths ties it all together for me, "Make level paths for your feet...make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one misses the grace of God." That sums up what I want my life to look like as a wife, mother, daughter, friend...there is so much in there to encourage me to more than where I am at right now.

Making level paths reminds me that it will not happen as I go along in my daily life, without intentional effort - hence the verb MAKE - the NIV Study Bible Commentary says this, "A call for upright conduct that will help, rather than hinder, the spiritual and moral welfare of others." Then immediately following that verse we are told to MAKE (again) EVERY EFFORT to live in peace with ALL men - there are no loop holes in that, are there? That is a direct call to work out all frustrations or challenges that we may have in every relationship we are part of.

Then it goes on to speak to the need for holiness, with a strong warning that if that is not there in our lives, we will not see the Lord. I don't know about you, but that makes me sit up and pay attention - we need to moving towards greater holiness, never settling for where we find ourselves. The best part is what closes that verse, though, because we are told that no one is to miss the grace of God - what does that tells us? It says that after all the challenges laid out to us, God's grace is right there with us, to carry us in times of struggle and to help us move forward in more of what God has for us. Not in our own strength but in His strength.