Do 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.

The sound and smell of spring is so relaxing coming through the back door, as the hubby and I lounge on the couch for movie night. There’s not quite enough room for both of us lying side by side, so my bare foot falls frequently to the floor. It’s sticky and I think the culprit is lying beside me.

The urge to get up and clean at 9:30 pm in the middle of a movie is almost overwhelming. I thought I cleaned the floors well enough on Monday. Apparently not. Ignoring it, I move my foot back to the couch; it slides back down.

My slightly obsessive-compulsive side says, “Ewe. This is gross. I have to clean it. Right now.” My tired body that babysat, cleaned, exercised, and cooked throughout the day says, “No, it can wait until morning. After all, you’re off all day with a “nonessential” travel ban in place. Relax.”

“It’s not as though the movie is good anyway!”  My mind retorts stubbornly. The return to high school plot line is tiresome. A typical heroine tries resisting her high school sweetheart’s charms in the midst of his murder charges……really!? There is a reason that relationship tanked and she moved across the country.

So, the internal battle rages, do the habitual thing and remove the stickiness or put it off until morning.

It’s interesting how a physical situation often mimics the spiritual. Behavior change begins with small steps in the right direction and encouragement from tiny victories. Steps that propel hearts to make more thoughtful decisions in the day to day permit lasting change. Deflected compulsive urges slowly steer the heart away from clinging patterns of self-ruin.

For instance, determining priorities for spiritual growth can involve distance from relationships that tempt me to continue selfish endeavors. Replacing short sightedness with intentional action on behalf of others during casual moments of noticed need is empowering.

Perhaps I’m filling a void with material things, I’m bored, or succumbing to emotional eating. Stuff I mostly avoid, yet at times still do. Similar to the heroine of the movie plot, clearly understanding her return home is a bad idea, although still drawn inexplicably.

There is a tension in the indecision. Making difficult choices often infringes on instant gratification.

 The apostle Paul states this beautifully, “So, I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members.” (New International Version, 8:21-23)

The struggle is real for even the strongest Christian, like Paul. The stickiness of sin wants to cling to my mind and distort the changed heart that longs to be rescued from ‘the body of death’ (vs 24).  Because I battle the flesh every day.  The tenacious thoughts of self-reproach are slowly replaced with wonder and gratitude in the presence of Jesus’ sin offering.  A small victory over the mind renews strength and empowers the flesh.

Stepping forward with such grace spurs the next step in the right direction. A new habit begins, relax in Jesus and strive to please Him. I am reassured by meditating on the words of the apostle’s truth as I hear him declare further:

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.” (NIV, Romans 8:1-2) So, I choose to live according to the Spirit and have my mind set on what the Spirit desires.

Aw, like a cool spring breeze my heart is set on the Sprit’s desires, the decision pleasing to Him is the one I choose.