Category: Bible (Page 144 of 418)

After a day on the lake my brother-in-law and I headed back to pull his boat out of the water. We reached the landing area and waited for another boater who pulled in before us. The owner tied his boat up to shore (a small fishing boat) and walked up to get his truck and trailer. I noticed on the back of his boat a bumper sticker that read Sh*t Happens.

As I bobbed up and down I thought, how ironic if the rope tied to the anchor came loose and his boat floated away? When he franticly realized his boat drifted in the middle of the lake I would have hollered out, Hey buddy, you know what they say—Sh*t Happens! I briefly considered slipping off our boat, swimming to shore and untying his, but before my devious thought took root he was back. Plus he was a big guy.

Without an anchor our boat floats away, and more broadly, our lives as well. But those who follow the ways of Christ tie up securely. In Hebrews we’re encouraged with this statement: We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.

The anchor referred to here applies far beyond the spiritual. The follower of Jesus possesses a steady anchor for all of life. Outside influences cannot disturb the firmness of its character. When we flail, our anchor, Jesus Christ himself, remains steadfast and sure.

The bumper sticker on that boat wasn’t wrong. Life is full of unfortunate, unpredictable events. Which clarifies our need for hope, for an anchor that holds firm in the midst of those happenings.

Hebrews 6 in Through the Bible in 2024

Photo by Steve Saunders

You can get better at anything if you practice. Friends of mine practice gardening, always learning and improving their skills at growing flowers and vegetables and fruits. Physicians describe their medical work as a practice, developing an experienced eye in treating health issues over many years of work. Even that dastardly yet magnificent game of golf yields to practice—or so I’m told.

It pays to practice when it comes to the Scriptures as well. The writer of Hebrews chided the church in Rome over their lack of growth: Though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!

This group failed to engage with the Scriptures beyond a cursory level. Their shallowness grew evident as the society around them pressed in. They appeared to have trouble with what was good and what was evil, difficulty with right living. They faced persecution, and it eased the pressure to pump the brakes on living by God’s word in their pagan city.

Instead of remaining childish, these young believers were encouraged to further exercise the things they had been taught: Solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

Constant use refers to training, working out, practicing, meaningful activity guided toward a specific end. By delving into the Scriptures daily, over weeks and months and years, the disciple gains wisdom, a certain gravitas, and more easily avoids the evil laid before them.

No one gains anything from staying in the kiddie pool when it comes to the teachings of the Bible. It pays to practice, be it gardening or medicine or golf—and especially when understanding the Scriptures in order to live as a fully engaged follower of Jesus.

Hebrews 5 in Through the Bible in 2024

Photo by Sandie Clarke

In a crisp reality check, two priests made an unauthorized offering before the Lord—contrary to his painstakingly explained instructions. So fire came out of the presence of the Lord and consumed them.

Best to follow instructions. Like grabbing a downed power line, Nadab and Abihu got toasted. Why did these newly ordained priests ignore what had been clearly explained to them only days before?

They clearly did not respect the Lord enough to follow his commands given through Moses. Perhaps their newly privileged position swelled their hearts, leading to a less than respectful, even flippant attitude? Were any of their fellow priests around when they loaded their censors? Were they warned, or did they stride in on their own?

This scene serves as a stark reminder of the Lord’s holiness. It also shows our need for a mediator, an intercessor between you and me and this overpoweringly Holy God. Thankfully, Jesus serves this role. The writer of Hebrews points out:

Since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess…Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we my receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

I don’t imagine any of the priests who served after this incident approached the Lord with confidence. They checked and double-checked their protocols of sacrifice. They moved with trepidation, hoping to avoid the fate of the sons of Aaron. You and I however (thanks to nothing we’ve ever done), can move toward God with boldness and presence of mind.

Because Jesus took the jolt of fire meant for us.

Leviticus 10 & Hebrews 4 in Through the Bible in 2024

Photo by Jonas Frey

King David boasted a long history of success on the battlefield. He attracted talented advisors and amassed great wealth. A gifted leader, he could have easily placed great confidence in his talents and wisdom. But his reliance turned a different direction.

Notice the supreme confidence of David in the Lord his God: The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?

A shepherd who faced a range of difficulties on his rise to the throne, David no longer worried about personal enemies or marauding armies. Instead, David worried only that God would turn away from him, hide his face, or abandon his servant.

Despite threats both external and internal, David clung to the Lord. With unshakable belief he expressed his thoughts: I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

I appreciate those words and need them in my life. David’s confidence reflects a long walk with the Lord, years of persistence. His confidence can be ours, if we stick to that long walk in the same direction.

Psalm 27 in Through the Bible in 2024

Photo by Karl Fredrickson