"See to it..."

Reading Hebrews 3:12-15
"See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God."

The Biblical writers are unequivocal about where the responsibility lies for our spiritual condition. We are addressed directly: "See to it...". There are no exceptions: "that none of you...". We play games with ourselves where we imagine that in our case we are not responsible. Some other person or group of people, some other circumstance, some disability or limitation provides me with an exemption from responsibility for the spiritual condition I find myself in. I need to keep looking until I can find someone or something else that can "see to it" that I don't turn away from God. And of course I don't have far to look. There are all kinds of candidates for this role. The church is one of the biggest enablers in this regard. We have professional worship leaders who take responsibility for providing me with a meaningful worship experience, there are professional men and women of God who make sure I hear what God is saying to me on Sunday, someone else takes responsibility for my children's spiritual growth, etc. I pull in to church on Sunday like I pull in to the gas station. "Fill me up." The contemporary church environment breeds dependence. The problem with dependence is that when I am alone I have no resources of my own, someone else is the keeper of my resources. And I am alone most of the time, without my Sunday resources, away from the people "whoose job it is" to see that I don't turn away from God. Can I be blamed for straying under these circumstances?

"See to it..." Take responsibility for your own spiritual life. Worship God, listen to His Word, practice the truth, speak up for God in your world. Only then will other believers be of any use to you. "But encourage one another daily..." (v. 13). Encouragement does not take my responsibility away from me, it supports me in my choice to live for God. My family, my friends, my church, do not "see to it" that I live out the abundant life of Christ. They simply add more joy to a journey that I have chosen for myself because of my own convictions.