Hebrews 2:9–10 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
All of us, all of humanity, was made in the image of God. We are His creation and are inherently valued simply because of this. Jesus came to offer His life in exchange for ours, so that no longer bound to our sinful nature, we could reflect God’s glory. Choosing God above all allows us to be transformed into the image of His only begotten Son. All praise and honor to our Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Carla
Hebrews 12:1-2 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
The cloud of witnesses refers to the people of faith mentioned in chapter 11. They are not actually spectators watching us; they are witnesses testifying to the truth of the faith (11:2, 4–6).
Weight is anything that hinders a runner.
Looking here means “fixing one’s eyes trustingly.” We need to consistently focus on Christ instead of our own circumstances. Christ has done everything necessary for us to endure in our faith. He is our example and model, for He focused on the joy that was set before Him. His attention was not on the agonies of the Cross, but on the crown; not on the suffering, but the reward. The NKJV Study Bible
The footrace was one of the longest and most significant events in the Greek games.
Although Hebrews 11 included a long list of worthy exemplars, Jesus is ultimately the focus. In light of the footrace metaphor, the idea here might be that Jesus, who pioneered the course of the faith, awaits believers at the finish line.
Prizes often were set before athletes to provide motivation (according to first-century Jewish historian Josephus, Antiquities 8:302). Jesus’ endurance of the cross provides the paradigm for believers (verses 1–7), who also will endure suffering and shame (10:32; 12:3). Faithlife Study Bible
Philippians 2:8–9 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,
1 Corinthians 9:24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.
Hebrews 10:36 For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:
Luke 24:26 Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?”
Let us remember: Mercy is any compassionate gift given to someone, who is suffering, struggling, disheartened.
And in writing about mercy, today’s weather reminded me about the “storms” and “power outages” that happen to us emotionally and spiritually. About the times we have all experienced “outages” to our own emotional wellbeing.
And when that happens, how easy it is, to neglect self-mercy. To neglect self-care replenishment.
Self-mercy—the gentle awareness that precedes self-compassion—means offering yourself the same understanding you extend to others. It's choosing to embrace rather than punish, to understand rather than criticize.
Let us take to heart Saint Francis de Sales’ reminder, "Be patient with all things, but most of all with yourself."
Over the years, I’ve written that care of any kind—compassion, generosity, forgiveness, reconciliation, peacemaking, service, ministry, teaching, giving, healing—begins with and is nourished by self-care.
This is a good week to be gentle with ourselves. To find renewal.
And my confession: self-care isn’t always my strong suit.
Psychologist Kristin Neff was the first person to measure and operationally define the term “self-compassion.” She describes self-compassion as kindness toward the self, which entails being gentle, supportive, and understanding: “Rather than harshly judging oneself for personal shortcomings, the self is offered warmth and unconditional acceptance.” In other words, being kind to ourselves in good times and bad, in sickness and in health—and yes, even when we mess up.
“Having self-compassion means being able to recognize the difference between making a bad decision and being a bad person. When you have self-compassion, you understand that your worth is unconditional.”
Yes. The gift of mercy: seeing—and embracing—the dignity and value at our core.
To help remember, I keep this Parker Palmer quote close by. "It is a strange gift, this birthright gift of self. Discovering vocation does not mean scrambling toward some prize just beyond my reach but accepting the treasure of true self I already possess. Vocation does not come from a voice ‘out there’ calling me to become something I am not. It comes from a voice ‘in here’ calling me to be the person I was born to be, fulfill the original selfhood given me at birth by God."
And in my heart I know that “vocation” is not my job, and not my calling, but the mark I leave, and the place I take, in this world.
Self-care and self-mercy—the permission to be at home in our own skin.
I read this once, “she was reclaiming herself, alive in her own skin.” Yes, that’s it. At home in our own skin… Unabashed in a skin (a self) that feels, values, honors, esteems, loves, fears, desires, hopes for, believes in and commits to. With nothing to earn or prove, because life isn’t a race or contest or beauty pageant.
And here’s the deal: At home, I have a self to give.
To be an anchor, a listening ear.
To be a hand to hold, a hug to keep the heart alive.
And to spill mercy. And to spill light.
“Sabbath Moments”
As Advent points us to the coming of Jesus, today's verses offer a prophetic view of God's redemptive work through Him.
Psalm 118:22-24 foretold the joyful paradox of our Savior's arrival: "The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone ...let us rejoice and be glad in it."
Amid our greatest struggles, Jesus is our joy and strength. Even in our weariness, may we still rejoice in Him.
Hebrews 12:2 profoundly reminds us that the joy of our salvation compelled Jesus to go to the cross. What indescribable love! First5
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