The author of Hebrews ends this great letter with a prayer (Heb. 13:19-21).
He has been encouraging them to stand firm in their confidence that Jesus is not only better than the old legalistic Jewish system, higher than angels and even higher than Moses. He addresses the discipline that comes through suffering and now he asks that they pray for him. Then he shares a heart filled prayer for them and for us, his followers today.
“May the God of peace, who through the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, 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.(Heb. 13:20-21).”
Much could be said about God being a God of peace, a great shepherd, and the power behind the resurrection. But in the limited space we have, we will concentrate on being equipped to do His will and living a life that is pleasing to him.
In a farming community, we know about equipment needed to prepare the soil, plant the seed and bring in the harvest. We can’t do the job without having the proper equipment. Bringing in the harvest would be likened to doing his will. We need information to know the will of God.
It is all about obedience. Faith is not real without obedience. We need the power of the Holy Spirit to do the will of God. It is He who is working in us to accomplish his will and purpose for our lives. In the West we are blessed with an abundance of resources.
The early disciples did not have the entire New Testament. They did not have the work of scholars to give them the shades of meaning of various words and phrases to help them interpret various texts. What they had was a burning passion to obey. And with that they turned the world upside down. They obeyed because they had seen the Lord; they had seen the depth of his love demonstrated on the cross.
What is the equipment we need for the same task that confronted the disciples? They had died to themselves. They had recognized, long before Bonheoffer wrote it that “when Christ calls a man he bids him come and die.”
He calls us to die to our pompous plans for our selfadvancement, to our ease and pleasure, and to our comfort. He calls us to self-sacrifice and to accept the scorn of the world; to endure suffering of those who do not understand, yea even to give our lives should that be necessary.
Being equipped may mean the sometimes boring time spent in “studying to show ourselves approved unto God, a workman that is not ashamed.” It is rejoicing with the saints of the past who tasted the fruit of obedience and suffering for the cause of Christ.
But most of all it is in the act of obedience to what we know that prepares our hearts and character for further service. By the power of the Holy Spirit he works in us — shapes our character, develops perseverance, and provides the vision of a life lived to advance the kingdom and bring glory to the Father. Pray for me at that point.
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