What do you reach for when you’re falling?
(Read Hebrews 2)
The writer of Hebrews knew how hard it was to remain faithful as a believer in light of the persecution and pressures from society at that time. He knew that it was easier to regress and lose their Christian faith.
Active faith, like most things in life, requires constant work. Not having a firm grasp on something is when things tend to slip away. Hebrews 2 emphasized the importance of staying close to the truth of the message of Jesus Christ. The message first spoken through angels, then Christ, then signs, miracles, and declarations from Christ’s disciples, represents total truth and is binding.
“We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. For since the message spoken through angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.”
It takes discipline, action, and faith to hold firmly on to something and devote yourself to that. An example of this is when you set a New Year’s resolution or similar goal that you didn’t follow through with. First, you give yourself a day off, or make excuses or rationalize loopholes. Then, you become less grounded in the process and over time, the goal becomes further and further away. Sometimes, the end goal is so far away, you just give up.
The writer of Hebrews explained that Christ is the pinnacle of truth. He reminded the readers that while Christ lowered himself to the level of sinful humankind, he himself was sinless and was also our pure and holy God.
“In putting everything under them, God left nothing that is not subject to them. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to them. But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.”
It’s difficult to stay close to something when things are tough. When we face adversity and challenge, we sometimes let go of things that don’t pay immediate dividends. We let go of things we can’t see or grab and hold on to firm, stable, and visible things. When I was a boy, I went fishing on a cold rainy day. The river bank was a sloppy, muddy mess. I slipped. Instead of grabbing for something to stop my fall, something to save me, I held on to the fishing pole. I then slid into the water. When I hit the water, I lost hold of the fishing pole and needed my friend to pull me out. So, I wouldn’t grab hold of something that could help and the thing I held onto, I lost.
I’ve often thought that if we treated our faith in Christ as our rock or saving branch, we wouldn’t slip. Or if we do, we wouldn’t slide all the way into the water. We need to treat our treasures as unimportant and make our faith the core of our being. As the writer of Hebrews confirmed, all believers of Christ are united in their faith and are sealed in a relationship with Jesus.
“Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters. He says,
“I will declare your name to my brothers and sisters;
in the assembly I will sing your praises.””
Highlights:
- The Christians at the time of the writing of Hebrews were struggling and were seriously challenged in their faith. Their faith was new and for some, shallow. The writer of Hebrews wanted them to know that their faith in Christ was real, blessed, and worthy of their struggles.
- While their are many messengers of God’s message, their is only one Savior. Jesus was and is our Holy God. He is at the top of kingdom. Knowing our faith is based on the king of kings makes it something we can grasp.
- There are worldly things that make us feel good, safe, and proud and there is something spiritual that we can’t see that is more stable, more safe, and more good than anything on earth.
- Applications:
Have you set goals or resolutions? Have you met your goals or fallen short? When you set your next goal, rely on Christ as your boost. Let him be your rock to step up on and reach your desired finish. Lean on and pray on the only one who can deliver. Your prayers will not always be met with a “yes”, but they will always be heard. God’s plan will deliver. - In your daily life, do you look to comfortable and easy things for help you with your problems? What if you try to look at your problems from a different perspective? What if you seek help or answers first, by looking to the big thing that makes problems small. There’s a saying Big God – Small Problems. Big Problems – Small God. Remember this.
- Make Jesus Christ, your rock. Make Him the branch you reach for in your time of need. Christ should be your core. The next time you feel yourself sliding or falling, grab for Jesus. He’ll always be there.
Where else in your life can you live out the teachings of Christ? Look for next week’s Devotion.