Hebrews 12: Being Faith-Ful Beholding Jesus
Scripture Focus:
“Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”
— Hebrews 12:2 (ESV)
Reflection:
Faith is not a mental exercise. It’s not about becoming a scholar. It’s not checking off a Bible reading plan like a spiritual to-do list.
Faith is about beholding Jesus.
It is seeing Him, savoring Him, and surrendering to Him.
The Pharisees searched the Scriptures, but missed the Person. They treated the Word as the end—when it was only ever meant to be a means to the end: intimacy with Christ.
If the goal of our faith is moral behavior, we’ve missed the mark.
If our repentance is just to feel clean, we’ve missed the goal.
But if we repent because sin clouds our view of Jesus, and we long to see Him more clearly, then we’ve found true worship.
Faith That Fixes Its Eyes
Hebrews 12 tells us to fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. He began it. He perfects it. He endured the cross for joy—because He knew that on the other side of pain was the reward: you.
He now sits enthroned at the right hand of the Father. And we’re trying to impress Him with our theology degrees?
There is a Man in heaven, alive, glorious, and reigning—and we’re still playing church games?
Don't Be Like Esau
Later in Hebrews 12, the author warns us:
Don’t sell out your inheritance like Esau.
Don’t give away glory for temporary gratification.
Don’t let sexual sin, bitterness, or compromise cloud your vision.
The pure in heart will see God. Anything that keeps us from seeing Him clearly is not worth it. Not even close.
All of This—For One Thing
From tabernacle to temple, law to prophets, cross to resurrection—all of it was to bring us into the Holy of Holies.
Not to make us more religious, but to make us burn with white-hot love for the One seated on the throne.
If all of our doing doesn’t lead to divine encounter, we’ve become no different than the Pharisees.
But if we behold Him—if we tremble at His Word and sit in awe of His presence—then we become the bride He’s returning for.
Takeaway:
You were made to behold.
You weren’t created to perform—you were created to love.
Stop being a human doing. Be a human being—hungry for God and God alone.
Everything else will be shaken. But Jesus—and His Kingdom—will never be moved.
Prayer:
Jesus, I don’t want to play games. I don’t want to study You and never see You. Burn away the fog of religion. Cleanse my heart from every sin that dulls my hunger. I want to behold You, the Lamb of God, seated on the throne. Let every time in Your Word be a divine encounter that makes me love You more. Shake everything in me that can be shaken—until only You remain. Amen.