Confession time...I am a pin-a-holic.
If you follow me on Pinterest you know the truth of that statement. I have an unimaginable amount of boards (like 80ish) and will probably never complete all the project ideas I've acquired; nevertheless, I continue pinning. Occasionally, an inspirational print crosses my feed and I'll pin it. One such pin from the book of Hebrews reads, "we have this hope as an anchor for the soul. A hope both sure and steadfast." Hebrews 6:19.
But as inspirational as it is, I realize something is missing.
What is this anchoring hope? What hope grips our soul?
Hebrews is full of marvelous snippets with such rich meaning: "Faith is being sure of what hope for..."(11:1); "I will never leave you or forsake you" (13:5); "Let us run with perseverance..." (12:1). Wonderful truths. Though the encouraging words stand alone beautifully, removing them from context weakens the full impact of those statements. How much more significant and treasured will they become, if we understand their situation in scripture and the circumstances of the original readers?
So rather than boiling Hebrews down to a few inspirational quotes that leave us with the warm-fuzzies, let's look further into the book...let's breathe life into the excerpts. Then when a pin floats across our feed, saying "I will never leave you or forsake you," we know to what extent that truly is.
Over the next few weeks (starting on Jan. 5) we will discuss the book of Hebrews. I hope you journey with me. In the meantime, see what you can find about the authorship, the original readers and the time period in which they lived. Your study Bible should contain background information or Google the Roman empire in the first century. Bring any knowledge you have collected to share in my next post. Be sure not to miss it. Subscribe by email, Google+, or like Practicing Eucharisteo on Facebook. Let's learn together and grow together.
Blessings,
Katrina
If you follow me on Pinterest you know the truth of that statement. I have an unimaginable amount of boards (like 80ish) and will probably never complete all the project ideas I've acquired; nevertheless, I continue pinning. Occasionally, an inspirational print crosses my feed and I'll pin it. One such pin from the book of Hebrews reads, "we have this hope as an anchor for the soul. A hope both sure and steadfast." Hebrews 6:19.
What is this anchoring hope? What hope grips our soul?
Hebrews is full of marvelous snippets with such rich meaning: "Faith is being sure of what hope for..."(11:1); "I will never leave you or forsake you" (13:5); "Let us run with perseverance..." (12:1). Wonderful truths. Though the encouraging words stand alone beautifully, removing them from context weakens the full impact of those statements. How much more significant and treasured will they become, if we understand their situation in scripture and the circumstances of the original readers?
So rather than boiling Hebrews down to a few inspirational quotes that leave us with the warm-fuzzies, let's look further into the book...let's breathe life into the excerpts. Then when a pin floats across our feed, saying "I will never leave you or forsake you," we know to what extent that truly is.
Over the next few weeks (starting on Jan. 5) we will discuss the book of Hebrews. I hope you journey with me. In the meantime, see what you can find about the authorship, the original readers and the time period in which they lived. Your study Bible should contain background information or Google the Roman empire in the first century. Bring any knowledge you have collected to share in my next post. Be sure not to miss it. Subscribe by email, Google+, or like Practicing Eucharisteo on Facebook. Let's learn together and grow together.
Blessings,
Katrina
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