Begin with 2 minutes of silence and stillness before God.
This passage opens with a reflection on Moses, a hero of the faith from the Old Testament. If you’re not familiar with him, take time to read Exodus. The Lord used Moses to lead his people out of a 400-year run of slavery in the land of Egypt. It was no small task and although Moses had a few blunders along the way, the author of Hebrews continues to refer to him as one who was faithful to God. The Lord used Moses to institute the wilderness Tabernacle, a place where the One True God could dwell with His people. Even so, the author of Hebrews desires that his audience understand that Jesus Christ is even better than Moses. He’s more faithful than we can articulate and believers, as “God’s house” (v. 6) or God’s people, are His very own possession. Because of Jesus, God dwells within those who belong to Him. Praise God for that!
Further down in the passage, there is a warning. In verse 12, the warning is to beware of drifting or turning away from God. The author is reminding us that despite having seen the work of the Lord and knowing the truth of His love for us, it’s still possible to drift from Him - to hear Him and know Him, but still follow your own desires. Two times in this passage you’ll see the phrase that calls us not to harden our hearts in rebellion, referring to the people of God, the Israelites in Exodus. They had been delivered from slavery, fed with manna from Heaven, met with the presence of God, and yet turned from Him.
When we read what they did, we usually respond, “Why in the world would they do that?” or “How could they be so foolish?” However, Hebrews reminds us that this turning away can happen to any of us before we realize we are drifting because sin is deceitful. Notice verse 13, “But encourage each other daily, while it is still called today, so that none of you is hardened by sin’s deception.” (CSB). This is just another reason why the people of God are better together. When we allow other believers into our lives, we also allow their encouraging voices to speak into us. When we truly love each other as brothers and sisters in Christ, we can speak to one another in loving accountability and bear with one another in prayer, which helps us to avoid the drift.
Take 2 minutes to reflect in silence.
Reflection:
Prayer: Father, thank You that I can call out to You and know that You hear my prayers because of the sacrifice of Your Son, Jesus Christ, who sits at Your right hand and intercedes for me. Jesus, You truly are the better Moses, the gracious High Priest, and I thank You that I belong to You, both in life and in death. As I walk on this earth in my day-to-day life, please keep me from drifting and keep me alert to the deceitfulness of sin. Please give me fellow believers to walk alongside me and help me to love those around me with the love You have shown me, so that our lives may honor You above all else. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Family Devo: Hebrews 3
By: Jana Whittington
Today, let's explore a special chapter from the Bible called Hebrews 3. It talks about how God is our best friend and how we can be His faithful friends too. Just like you have friends at school, God wants to be your friend every day! Isn't that awesome?
In verses 3-4, it says that God is like the amazing builder of a house. But guess what? We are His house, and Jesus is like the best part of that house. God built everything, and He loves us so much. Just like you build with your Lego blocks, God built the world and wants us to be part of His family. Sometimes, we can forget about God or not listen to Him, just like when you forget your homework or chores. But Hebrews 3 reminds us to always be God's friends and listen to His voice. When we listen to Him, we stay close to our amazing builder and best friend, God!
Remember Moses, the guy who led the Israelites out of Egypt? Hebrews 3 talks about him too. Moses was a great friend of God who tried to listen and follow what God said. Because of Jesus, we can be a faithful friend of God like Moses, and then we can obey God and show love and kindness to others. So, let's be like Moses, keeping our friendship with God strong by listening to Him. Even more than your best friend at school, God is always there for you. Be His faithful friend, and you'll have the most amazing friendship ever!
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for being my best friend and always being there for me. I want to stay close to You! Help me learn more about You through the Bible and prayer. Please guide us and be with us in everything we do. In Jesus’ name, Amen.