4 God’s promise of entering his rest still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it. ² For this good news—that God has prepared this rest—has been announced to us just as it was to them. But it did them no good because they didn’t share the faith of those who listened to God. ³ For only we who believe can enter his rest. As for the others, God said,

“In my anger I took an oath:
‘They will never enter my place of rest,’”

even though this rest has been ready since he made the world. ⁴ We know it is ready because of the place in the Scriptures where it mentions the seventh day: “On the seventh day God rested from all his work.” ⁵ But in the other passage God said, “They will never enter my place of rest.”

⁶ So God’s rest is there for people to enter, but those who first heard this good news failed to enter because they disobeyed God. ⁷ So God set another time for entering his rest, and that time is today. God announced this through David much later in the words already quoted:

“Today when you hear his voice,
don’t harden your hearts.”

⁸ Now if Joshua had succeeded in giving them this rest, God would not have spoken about another day of rest still to come. ⁹ So there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God. ¹⁰ For all who have entered into God’s rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world. ¹¹ So let us do our best to enter that rest. But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall.

¹² For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. ¹³ Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.

Hebrews 4:1-13

Dear God, this last paragraph makes me think of the CT scan I just got on my abdomen and pelvis. Even if I had symptoms of things that I didn’t share with my doctor, the CT scan revealed them. It even revealed things I didn’t know about. It was a virtual two-edged sword that cut between the joint and the marrow while still leaving it intact.

Am I willing to let your Holy Spirit, Jesus (your Word), and you to scan me? Reveal all of the parts of me? Examine me? Even heal me?

I still like the idea of it being Apollos who wrote this. I just like having the image of someone who was really respected by Paul and the others as a great teacher of the Gospel as being the author of these words. It helps me to take them more seriously. And in this case, I think about entering your rest one day, but that day has not yet arrived. I still have work to do.

Father, I have a few meetings today and some things to accomplish. Help me to do it all well. Do good work through me. Love through me. Bring your glory through me.

I offer this to you in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen