Equip us with everything good...

Week 48:

Hebrews 13:20-21 ²⁰ Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, ²¹ equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Equip us with everything good.  The writer of Hebrews gives us such an encouraging statement of the work we do in the kingdom.  All of the good comes from above.  I, like the writer of Hebrews ask that God give me His measure of goodness to do the work He calls me to do.  I ask that God not only equip me, but give me equipment for good. 

 

Notice the two places from where God grants this goodness.  First of all, God comes from a place of peace.  The writer calls Him the “God of peace”.  The people of the Old Testament had several names for God depending on the work He had done in their lives.  It appears that the writer follows this path to some degree and labels God the “God of peace”.  My good works come from the peaceful side of God.  I don’t always see work as peaceful.  However, when I think about work in the kingdom, I realize that I have an underlying peace about me as I go about His good works.

A second place from which God grants His goodness is mentioned twice.  It really is not a place but a person.  All goodness comes through Jesus.  First of all, the goodness is related to the eternal covenant we have promised through Jesus resurrection.  And it is neat to notice that Jesus is the “great Shepherd”.  Secondly, anything pleasing to God is through Jesus.  It is because of Jesus that I do good works.  Jesus is glorified through any good works I do according to God’s will.

I think about Philippians 4:7-9 when I reflect on the above passage.  This list of all the good things that we are to think upon, come through the God of peace and through Jesus.  From this I learn that the God of peace will equip me for the good I am to do and that He will do this through Jesus.  The writer speaks this blessing on his readers.  His hope is that God will continue to equip the saints with everything good.  That is my hope as well.  I hope this for myself and for those around me. 

Take this blessing with you this week.  God of peace, through the blood of the great Shepherd, Jesus; equip your servants with everything good in order to fulfill your will through your great son, Jesus.

Questions/challenges:

1.      What good things do you see God working in you right now?

2.      Where have you noticed God being glorified through your good things?

3.      Who in your life might you speak this blessing over?

4.      Spend time this week in silence and reflection around the good things God has equipped you with.  Touch on your thankful heart and give God thanks. 

5.      Look for others to speak this blessing over. 

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