God with us - Week 39: Hebrews 13:6
6 So we can say with confidence,
“The Lord is my helper,
so I will have no fear.
What can mere people do to me?”
Hebrews 13:6 (NLT)
So…
Usually, when we say the word 'so', we’re summing up all that has gone before.
We’re following up our previous comments with a 'therefore' or 'for this reason.'
So, what went before our ‘God With Us’ verse this week.
The letter to the Hebrews is written by an anonymous author, to an unknown church facing persecution and difficulty because they believed in Jesus Christ. The believers who received this letter were trying to live out their faith in challenging circumstances. Pushed and pulled by the influence of their culture, the letter writer reminds them of the path they have chosen to walk.
In Hebrews 13, the believers are encouraged to:
Love one another
Show hospitality to strangers
Remember those in prison
Care for those who are mistreated
Honour their marriages
Be free from the love of money
It’s quite a list!
It’s the same list that believers try, and often fail, to follow today.
But we aren’t left alone with the list, trying our hardest to be the kind of people God created us to be.
No, the list comes with an assurance found in verse 5:
“I will never fail you.
I will never abandon you.”
Hebrews 13:5b (NLT)
In this Christian life we’re attempting to live; God’s presence and support surrounds us.
God is with us, as we have discovered throughout this project and the years gone before.
So…
Therefore…
For this reason…
Let us be bold, then, and say,
“The Lord is my helper,
I will not be afraid.
What can anyone do to me?”
Hebrews 13:6 (GNT)
Over the past eighteen months there's been many circumstances that may have made us fearful. As I watched the news this morning, it's clear that the uncertainty continues.
It’s easy to feel afraid of what might happen.
It’s easy to excuse ourselves from loving others as we care for our own needs.
It’s easy to focus on the stresses of now rather than God’s faithfulness in the past.
Sometimes we need a reminder of how the Lord has helped us in the past and his faithfulness throughout our lives. For those of you who are still filling your “God with us” jar, then it serves as a reminder of God’s willingness to help and support. In Biblical times, they had a different way of remembering God’s faithfulness. They would build an Ebenezer.
Samuel then took a large stone and placed it between the towns of Mizpah and Jeshanah. He named it Ebenezer (which means “the stone of help”), for he said, “Up to this point the Lord has helped us!”
1 Samuel 7:12 (NLT)
As we continue to navigate these challenging times, let’s take the time to stop and recognise the Lord as our helper now and in ages past.
While preparing for this blog, I read:
“Every believer can set up an Ebenezer…”
John Gill
My challenge for all of us this week is to give thanks for the help God has given us “up to this point” and to rest in his promise to help us in the days to come.
So…
God is there, ready to help;
I’m fearless no matter what.
Who or what can get to me?
Hebrews 13:6 (MSG)
Kay Moorby
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