March 11th, 2022 – Friday Late Afternoon/Early Evening
“See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking.” ~Hebrews 12:25a
Last time we discussed this passage, we looked more at the aspect of what it means to know and listen to the voice of Him who is speaking rather than looking at what the instruction is actually addressing. Therefore, let us take a few minutes today to dig into what this passage is saying.
First off, the phrase “see to it” is translated from a Greek word that, in this passage, has the meaning to “look to in the sense of providing, taking care”. It carries with it an idea of responsibility and intentionality; it requires thought, careful consideration, and watchfulness. In our passage today, this is seen in taking care not to do something (instead of taking care to do something); believers are commanded to “see to it” that they do not refuse the Lord.
Second, the Greek word translated “refuse” here has that exact idea; it is equivalent to “refuse, reject”. It is a strong word with a strong definition: When a company rejects a load from a trucking company, they will not touch it or accept it – it must be disposed of, hauled back to where it came from, etc.; a refuse dump (garbage dump) contains that which has been refused – that which has been discarded and thrown out; and, when a child refuses to obey, they will not do what has been asked of them – they are rejecting their parent(s)’s authority and command.
When we put all of this together, we see that this is a very strong warning to believers. We must be intentional and careful in taking care not to refuse the Lord; we must not reject Him or spurn His instructions, warning, commands, and discipline! How do we see to this very important command? 1. We must be tender and humble to Him; this requires the time and investment in seeking Him mentioned in the last devotional. 2. We must resist the temptation to go after anything that seeks to lure us away from intimate fellowship with Him; we must always refocus our attention on Him (the scope of who He is and the grandeur of His nature will take us a lifetime to begin to comprehend) so that we are enamored with Him, not the deadly “pleasantries” of this life. 3. We must remember that His grace, His power, His love, His mercy, and His peace are always available to those who humbly trust in Him. He loves us and He has given us everything that we need for life and godliness in Christ!
“See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking.” This is an extremely urgent and important command. Let us not delay our obedience to heed His voice; let us be on guard – for ourselves and for each other – lest we be drawn away by the deceitfulness of sin and turn our backs on Him. See to it – be very careful – that we do not reject the One who loves us so deeply and cares for us so perfectly. He is so good! What joy awaits those who embrace Him in wholehearted obedience and submission!