Therefore . . .

“Therefore” is one of my favorite words.

Admittedly, I don’t use it much, or hear it much, but I read it a lot, especially in the New Testament. And, in scripture, when I read “Therefore,” I know things, if you’ll pardon a badly over-used buzz-phrase, are about to get real.
Hebrews 10:19 is a great example. The authors have spend nine and a half chapters explaining in detail everything Jesus did to fulfill God’s promises, especially the promist to save us. And then we get that wonderful word, “Therefore . . . “ and some practical words about how this applies to my life. That’s what I love about that word: It can mean either “Here’s why you care” or “Here’s what you do.”

In Hebrews 10, if we noodle through it, we end up with a nice little list of three to-dos:
1. Draw near to God with a sincere heart and the full assurance that faith brings. Whatever direction you’re heading, turn to face God and walk that way. Or run, depending on your need.
2. Hold unswervingly to the hope we profess. That hope, remember, is guaranteed by God himself, it’s a sure thing. It’s the anchor for our souls, so if we let go, we could drift anywhere.
3. Consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Living for Jesus is hard. Most of the world wants us to fail, and every day people drag us down. We need to encourage each other to be like Jesus, full of love and always doing good things.

The Why for all this came in all those earlier chapters; now, I have this three-part instruction on how to show my thanks for the wonder of my salvation. And, by the way, to start living the benefits immediately.