Hebrews 6:9 Now even though we speak this way, dear friends, we are confident that you have the better things that come with being delivered. 10 For God is not so unfair as to forget your work and the love you showed for him in your past service to his people — and in your present service too. 11 However, we want each one of you to keep showing the same diligence right up to the end, when your hope will be realized; 12 so that you will not become sluggish, but will be imitators of those who by their trust and patience are receiving what has been promised.
13 For when God made his promise to Avraham, he swore an oath to do what he had promised; and since there was no one greater than himself for him to swear by, he swore by himself[Hebrews 6:13 Genesis 22:16] 14 and said,
“I will certainly bless you,
and I will certainly give you many descendants”;[Hebrews 6:14 Genesis 22:17]
15 and so, after waiting patiently, Avraham saw the promise fulfilled. 16 Now people swear oaths by someone greater than themselves, and confirmation by an oath puts an end to all dispute. 17 Therefore, when God wanted to demonstrate still more convincingly the unchangeable character of his intentions to those who were to receive what he had promised, he added an oath to the promise; 18 so that through two unchangeable things, in neither of which God could lie, we, who have fled to take a firm hold on the hope set before us, would be strongly encouraged. 19 We have this hope as a sure and safe anchor for ourselves, a hope that goes right on through to what is inside the parokhet, 20 where a forerunner has entered on our behalf, namely, Yeshua, who has become a cohen gadol forever, to be compared with Malki-Tzedek.[Hebrews 6:20 Psalm 110:4]
Life is not stagnant. As a riptide presents danger to a careless swimmer, the author of Hebrews warned of a similar danger to the Christian’s walk. The first word of instruction he offered his readers was to pay attention! They needed to be aware of this danger: The danger of drifting. The problem is, it doesn’t seem dangerous. It’s subtle. It’s our tendency, too.
We need to caution against familiarity. The more familiar we become with something, the more common it becomes. That can be detrimental to our Christian lives. Caught in the current of living, we may be in danger and not even know it.
Swayed by the voices and pressures of the day, the Hebrew church was on the verge of losing their identity and drifting from the content of their Christianity. So, the pastor/author urged: Pay attention, listen, consider, look to, focus on Jesus! He was aware that a life focused on Christ would not drift.
Because of what the Son has done, we have an anchor for the soul–One who holds us steady against life’s current; One who can keep us where we need to be!
Hymn for today: "We Have an Anchor" by Priscilla J. Owens
1. Will your anchor hold in the storms of life,
When the clouds unfold their wings of strife?
When the strong tides lift and the cables strain,
Will your anchor drift, or firm remain?
Refrain: We have an anchor that keeps the soul
Steadfast and sure while the billows roll,
Fastened to the Rock which cannot move,
Grounded firm and deep in the Savior’s love.
2. It is safely moored, ’twill the storm withstand,
For ’tis well secured by the Savior’s hand;
And the cables, passed from His heart to mine,
Can defy that blast, thro’ strength divine.
Refrain: We have an anchor that keeps the soul
Steadfast and sure while the billows roll,
Fastened to the Rock which cannot move,
Grounded firm and deep in the Savior’s love.
3. It will surely hold in the Straits of Fear—
When the breakers have told that the reef is near;
Though the tempest rave and the wild winds blow,
Not an angry wave shall our bark o’erflow.
Refrain: We have an anchor that keeps the soul
Steadfast and sure while the billows roll,
Fastened to the Rock which cannot move,
Grounded firm and deep in the Savior’s love.
4. It will firmly hold in the Floods of Death—-
When the waters cold chill our latest breath,
On the rising tide it can never fail,
While our hopes abide within the Veil.
Refrain: We have an anchor that keeps the soul
Steadfast and sure while the billows roll,
Fastened to the Rock which cannot move,
Grounded firm and deep in the Savior’s love.
5. When our eyes behold through the gath’ring night
The city of gold, our harbor bright,
We shall anchor fast by the heav’nly shore,
With the storms all past forevermore.
Refrain: We have an anchor that keeps the soul
Steadfast and sure while the billows roll,
Fastened to the Rock which cannot move,
Grounded firm and deep in the Savior’s love.
Thought for Today: 19 My brothers, if one of you wanders from the truth, and someone causes him to return, 20 you should know that whoever turns a sinner from his wandering path will save him from death and cover many sins.[James 5:20 Proverbs 10:12](James 5:19-20).
Please pray: That many people in Portugal will come to know Yeshua the Messiah and receive the fullness of the Ruach HaKodesh.
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