Nelson is leaning hard into the Bible and has resolved a past struggle by reinterpreting a passage that used to condemn him but now means something different.

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September 30, 2022

(Hebrews 6:9-12)

“Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are convinced of better things in your case—the things that have to do with salvation. God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.”

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This passage comes after one of the scariest passages in the Bible to me. I read it as a kid and couldn’t reconcile it with myself, but see things differently now. The part I had trouble with was this: “It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age and who have fallen away, to be brought back to repentance.” (Hebrews 6:4-5)

I thought I would go to hell no matter what, because I had known God, then sinned again. But if we read verse 9, it’s a far different story. “…we are convinced of better things in your case…” and then in verse 10. I love this one and it might even have been on the wall at Hale Ola:

“God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.” It seems like a warning against cooling off and getting lazy. “We do not want you to become lazy…”

It’s easy to forget why we are here on earth and what our REAL purpose is. Without some sort of trouble in our lives, we become just like our unsaved counterparts who care about houses and money and jobs and material success that all dies with us when our short life on earth is over.

How can we remember that? How can we stay HOT? I think we get it from adversity. I hate to say it, but this cancer might be nothing more than that. I think it’s very possible that I’m totally cancer free at some point, able to do almost the same things I did before.

My prayer if that’s the case, is that this struggle won’t be wasted on me. What a pity it is if all we do is grit our teeth and try to “get through this” so we can go back to the life of shopping and eating and drinking. I don’t want to become lazy either, Lord.

I pray that I can see this for what it is and not waste any of it. Help me to absorb it and change for the better. What are the lessons here? Contentment in difficult circumstances maybe. Total dependence on you, Lord, and others, when I have been so self-sufficient all my life.

Generosity, since we’ve been given so much money, especially at the beginning. Gratitude for everything you are doing and your strong presence. Making sure to share our testimony and help others, after it’s over.

We know people who have come through things like this, and they are putting themselves out there for us. Thank you for them. I pray we won’t forget what you’ve done for us, and that we can pass it on.

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“Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground.” (Psalm 143:10)