The context of this passage is "the race", that is your personal journey of faith. The race begins when you are born again and concludes when you are "brought to glory". The "chastening mentioned in vs. 5,6,7,8,9, 10,11 is God's child training of you. The ultimate purpose of this training is found in vs. 10 "that we may be partakers of His holiness". Chastening is, at times, administered for wring doing, Not always. Often exactly the opposite, going forward in the direction we are already going, with a better stride, more holy ripeness, as in the Son of God's case, Hebrews 2:10-17. The discipline or training that God administers only works well if it is rightly received. So: 1. Take heed to your spirit--as you are strained and depleted by divine design. 2. Take heed to your choices--It is when believers are stretched, tried, intentionally depleted that they are especiallt tempted to make wrong choices. 3. Take heed to your understanding of what it means to be "healed" in Hebrews 12:13. Asd pastor Minnick points out, "it may not mean a change in your circumstances at all." Note for instance II Corinthians 12:7-10. Note again, Thomas Ridley. On the evening before he and Hugh Latimer were martyred at the stake Ridley sat at supper in the room of his keeper. It is told of him "he was as cheerful as ever he had been..." When they arose from the table, his brother offered to stay all night with him. But he said, "No,no, that you shall not. For I intend to go to bed, and sleep as quietly tonight as I ever did." On this, his brother departed, telling him to be of good cheer...for his reward would be great." That is a healthy, healed mind. |
