Mysty PfefferDo you ever feel like something important is slipping away and you have no control over it?
I’m wondering if the first century Jewish Christians felt the same way. The torture tactics, emperor Nero subjected Christians to so they would not follow “The Way” were chilling.
How would the picture of Hebrews 11:37 affect our stand in claiming Jesus today?
We see a picture of terror for these first century brothers and sisters in Christ that our soft lifestyle of abundance might just cave under. Something important was slipping away and they had no control over it. Fear of losing temporary physical life was overcoming faith in eternal life with Christ.
The writer of Hebrews is urgently calling them to hold fast to the hope of Christ and look beyond their circumstances.
Our ladies group is studying “Better, A Study of Hebrews, by Jen Wilken. She points us toward the repeated phrase “hold fast” and what we see the first century Jews holding fast to in the following verses….. (LifeWay Publishing,Wilkin, 2020 p. 53)
Hebrews 3:6
Hebrews 3:14
Hebrews 4:14
Hebrews 6:18
Hebrews 10:23
I can’t help but remember and ‘hold fast’ to the words of Jesus in Matthew 10:28
“And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”
Lord Jesus, help us fix our eyes on you and away from our lives in this temporary place. Please forgive us our grumbling in our comfort. Help us see the suffering of today’s Christians in China, Korea, the Middle East, India, and Africa as they face the same persecution your first church faced. May we continually keep them in prayer as they suffer and offer them any support you lay upon our hearts to offer.
Father, the faith of our children is slipping away, please help them hold fast. Our elderly are slipping away in fear of disease and isolation from their families, please comfort them. You see our country slipping away due to sin and rebellion, please help her turn from her sin and seek you again.
You are our confidence. You are our hope. You lift us up when we are too weak to cope in this world and remind us Jesus, you overcame the world. Our hope is in you and life with you forever. Although, we will not escape the daily tribulations of this world, you will be with us and guide us. Thank you! In Jesus’ name, amen.
