Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. (Hebrews 13:20-21)
Here we have the final thought and closing prayer of Hebrews.
It’s About God
This prayer is about God. Hebrews is about God. The Bible is about God. Your life is about God. All of history is about God. The universe is about God. Reality is about God.
Selfishness abounds among us. You see it in church as many talk more about what they do or do not get out of it, rather than the awe-inspiring God they’re meant worship. You see it online as many run self-promotional campaigns across multiple online platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and the like, posting status updates and selfies as though they are the star of the show. The reality is, God is the star of the show and we are all extras.
God’s Will is Your Way
The God of peace who raised Jesus from the dead has a specific will for you:
- letting brotherly love continue (13:1)
- showing hospitality to strangers (13:2)
- remembering Christians imprisoned and mistreated for their beliefs (13:3)
- holding marriage in honor and avoiding sexual immorality (13:4)
- forsaking greed and trusting God for provision (13:5)
- imitating the faith of Christian leaders (13:7)
- discerning good teaching from bad, being strengthened by grace (13:9)
- going “outside the camp” and bearing the reproach Christ bore (13:13)
- seeking “the city that is to come” (13:14)
- praising God (13:15)
- doing good and sharing what you have (13:16)
- obeying and submitting to leaders (13:17)
- praying (13:18)
Like good parents equipping their children for the first day of school, God will give you “everything good” so that you can live this way.
God’s Glory is the Goal
Note how in this passage everything begins with God, proceeds with God and ends with God. God is the one who does the equipping. God’s will is the task for which we are equipped. And all the glory for the equipping and the working goes to Jesus Christ, God the Son.
Jesus’ glory is the goal of all things throughout all history in all the world. And it’s the goal of your life.
So though all else may slip away, hold tight to the God of peace, the Great Shepherd and live for the glory of Jesus Christ.
