Happy Monday, {{first_name | everyone}}!
This week, we’re wandering into the book of Hebrews for a verse you may have heard before. Memorizing this one a few years ago has helped me to get freedom from sin through seeing the bigger story of God that I am part of.
In today’s email…
📜 The big story and the heroes of faith
🙏 A way to reimagine faith as a shared journey
🎵 A song to help you memorize and meditate on this verse
MEMORIZE 🧠
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
Hebrews 12:1
CONTEXT 📕
The book of Hebrews is a bit of mystery. Like many other books in the Bible, its authorship is debated. Was it Paul or some other church leader who penned these words?
Yet this search for answers does not disqualify this Scripture from telling us an age-old story…
Originally written for the early believers who faced severe persecution and uncertainty, the book of Hebrews brings hope. It opens with a simple line:
Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son…
By writing this, the author makes one thing very clear:
This message forms part of a much bigger story. God’s story.
We find this beautifully exemplified in the chapter that comes just before our memory verse - Hebrews 11 is kind of like the “hall of fame” filled with heroes of faith, from Abraham to Moses and beyond.
Here’s one example from that list (to give you an idea):
By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark...
This is where our week begins: With noticing we’re part of a much bigger story.
Since faith is so personal, we tend to see it as an individual thing. But our memory verse starts with an important word: “therefore”
It’s because of this great cloud of witnesses that we can be bold, follow their example, and also walk rightly before (and with) God.
This week, pay special attention to your faith, not as a solo journey, but one shared by many others.
APPLY AND RESPOND 🏃♂
📖 Read about the heroes of faith in Hebrews chapter 11. Then read verse 1 of chapter 12 today.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us
🙏 Pray
Father, you have surrounded me with a cloud of witnesses cheering me on. Would you help me to identify the people in my life who love you and love living your way, so that I may look to them for accountability and support? Amen.
SONG OF THE WEEK 🎵
Pay-it-forward subscribers, enjoy the song we created below to help you memorize the verse of the week!
SCRIPTURE MEMORY SONG OF THE WEEK 🎵
Pay-it-forward subscribers, enjoy the song we created below to help you memorize the verse of the week!
It looks like you don’t currently pay-it-forward. If you’d like to, you can do that here.
FREE SONG OF THE WEEK 🎵
This week’s song is “Run to the Father” by Cody Carnes, a reminder that the race of faith is really a run home to the Father every time we stumble.
ANSWER KEY ✅
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
Hebrews 12:1
See you in your inbox tomorrow!
Best,
The Malachi Daily team 🙏
Today’s Contributors
Eljoh is a South African writer, editor, and artist with a Master’s in Practical Theology. She creates resources to help believers of all ages abide in Christ and grow in faith. Explore more free resources and creative tools at Vine Creative Studio.
Kieran is a husband and father of 4 living in NJ. In addition to Malachi Daily, he writes a personal newsletter about the intersection of faith, fatherhood and entrepreneurship.
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