Some Musings on Hebrews 13 (Part 3)

As I have often mentioned in this blog, my friend Frank and I have an agreement. We read the same chapter in God’s Word each day for a week and then drop each other a short email about what we have learned. We then move to the next chapter the next week. I describe our modest online Bible study here. You might want to try this with a friend or relative.

We are finishing up our reading of the book of Hebrews. And there is much in this final chapter that I just have to go over with you. Let’s look at the next verse:

This is an amazing text! Before we examine it a bit more closely, feel free to click on the play button for 22 seconds of the music group Abba’s perspective!

The verse clearly challenges believers to “keep your lives free from the love of money”! Many people wrongly think that “money is the root of all evil.” That’s not what the Bible says. The passage that is often misquoted is I Timothy 6:10 which says, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”  Notice: (1) It is the love of money that is a root of evil. It is not the only root of evil. (2) The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. (3) An eagerness for money has caused some to wander from the faith and to pierce themselves with many griefs!

How about one more audio clip emphasizing the acquiring of money?  This one is from the Beatles in 1963!

We are to “keep our lives free from the love of money”! Why? Because true contentment comes from recognizing God’s abiding presence with us! Money will vanish. Possessions will break or be stolen or get lost. But God’s promise of His never leaving us should be our anchor and assurance. And that’s what we should want!

Today’s Challenge: How do you look at money? Is it a tool to do the will of God and to enjoy the good gifts that He gives? Praise Him for His abiding presence with us — whether we are materially blessed . . . or not!