Hebrews 13:20-21 (TPT) Apostolic Blessing and Conclusion
20 Now may the God who brought us peace by raising from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ so that he would be the Great Shepherd of his flock; and by the power of the blood of the eternal covenant 21 may he work perfection [maturity] into every part of you giving you all that you need to fulfill your destiny. And may he express through you all that is excellent and pleasing [beautiful] to him through your life-union [connection] with Jesus the Anointed One who is to receive all glory forever! Amen!
God’s plan for salvation and work of grace is always mysteriously unveiling in purpose and power; it is solidly grounded and revealed in his Word. There are so many levels to the goodness, wisdom, and mission of God to save his world that we will never understand it all nor be able to flawlessly articulate it. We are invited to taste and know the width, height, and depths of his love; therefore, we must be grounded and willing to grow in obedience to the Word (Eph. 3:18). Salvation is more than saying, “Forgive me, Lord, for I am a sinner.” We can all say those words and continue to follow our own selfish inclinations for life; we see the struggles people have with their flesh every time we open the Bible. So, more precisely salvation is, “Save me, Lord, from my inclination to struggle and sin against your Word or Way of living. Be my Shepherd and lovingly lead me into obedience and spiritual abundance so I may live in your power for your glory.” This is the blessing of repentance; the work of grace for the salvation of every soul.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for being my Shepherd and helping me better understand the blessing of repentance on a daily basis. Help me live true to your work of grace so I may glorify the Anointed One, today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.