Strengthen your tired hands and weakened knees
Hebrews 12:12-13 Christian Standard Bible
12 Therefore, strengthen your tired hands and weakened knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated but healed instead.
Based on what the author has previously said he is encouraging those who are reading this letter to strengthen their tired hands and weakened knees. The word strengthen here means to be or become erect as from a sitting or slouching position. Those who were receiving this letter had been battered by persecution and suffering. The persecution that was being inflicted by the Roman Emperor under Nero was overwhelming to these believers. They were considering abandoning Jesus Christ for their own comfort and safety.
The encouragement is to straighten or strengthen their tired hands and weakened knees. Not to surrender to the fear and doubt of the enemy but to stand up in the strength of the Lord. Have there ever been times when you personally have wanted to wave the white flag and surrender? I know in my life there have been different times where my sinful nature has tempted me to return to a life of comfort. But where we are called to surrender is to Jesus Christ alone. For it is surrendering to Him that we learn to stand in the strength and grace of God. It is in drawing near and abiding in Him that He will live through us and overcome. True victory is found in abandoning ourselves to Jesus Christ alone.
And make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated but healed instead. To make a straight path requires us to follow Jesus Christ. There are many directions the enemy will try to pull us in. But the one direction he will try to keep us from is drawing near to Jesus Christ. We are called to make straight paths for our feet. The path we walk is important because it determines the direction, we will move in. God leads us one step at a time. He is a light unto our path and a lamp unto our feet. In following the leading the guidance of The Holy Spirit daily we move toward our purpose and destiny.
The word dislocated is the Greek word ἐκτρέπομαι (ektrepomai) and it means to turn away. Refers to the act of straying or wandering away.[1] The word healed is the Greek word ἰάομαι (iaomai) and it means to heal. To restore something to a state of health or wholeness.[2] When we wander away from Christ is when we bring destruction into our lives. The purpose of temptation is to lead us away from Christ and toward that which will bring destruction. The devil is a thief and a liar. He was defeated at Calvary. But when we come to Christ, he is still active in the world. Daily we find ourselves engaged in a spiritual battle. But the key for us to understand is that it is in Jesus Christ that we find health and wholeness.
The word shalom means A state of tranquility or wholeness; shalom. Also: Inner Peace; Nonviolence; Peace of Mind; Reconciliation; Serenity; Shalom; Spiritual Peace; Tranquility; Truce. This is what we find when we come to Jesus Christ. He whose mind is stayed upon the Lord will be kept in perfect peace (Isaiah 26:3). And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Phil 4:7). What we find when we abide in Christ and draw near to Him is perfect peace. The temptation will always be to run from God and toward something that we are told will make us happy or content. But every word from the enemy is a lie and deception. We must draw near to Christ because it is in drawing near that we find health and wholeness. It is in drawing near that our hands and legs are strengthened for battle. It is in drawing near that we move toward the destiny and purpose we have in Jesus Christ.
Prayer
Father thank you for the battles. Thank you for the trials and the challenges. Teach me daily to not rely upon my own strength. Help me to abide in you each moment of each day. Help me to find you and to draw near. Help me to know your voice. In the moments I feel like giving up help me to draw near and to find shalom in you. Father bring forth healing and restoration in every broken area of my life. In the name of Jesus, Amen!
[1] Michael R. Jones, “Apostasy,” ed. Douglas Mangum et al., Lexham Theological Wordbook, Lexham Bible Reference Series (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2014).
[2] Chris Byrley, “Healing,” ed. Douglas Mangum et al., Lexham Theological Wordbook, Lexham Bible Reference Series (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2014).
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