Tuesday, July 14, 2026

Opening Scripture

“Brothers and fathers, listen to me! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Harran. ‘Leave your country and your people,’ God said, ‘and go to the land I will show you.’

“So he left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Harran. After the death of his father, God sent him to this land where you are now living. He gave him no inheritance here, not even enough ground to set his foot on. But God promised him that he and his descendants after him would possess the land, even though at that time Abraham had no child.

“God spoke to him in this way: ‘For four hundred years your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated. But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves,’ God said, ‘and afterward they will come out of that country and worship me in this place.’”

Acts 7:2-7 (part of Deacon Stephen’s sermon to the Sanhedrin before they stoned him to death at the feet of Saul)

Opening Prayer

Most Merciful God, I confess that I have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what I have done, and by what I have left undone. I have not loved you with my whole heart; I have not loved my neighbors as myself. I am truly sorry, and I humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on me and forgive me, that I may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your name. Amen.

Daily Bible Reading

Hebrews 6:13-20

When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.” And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.

People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. 

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.

Reflection  

Recall from last Saturday’s devotional, that the writer of Hebrews has just chastised his listeners (in the previous verses) about their spiritual immaturity. “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!”

He then offered a serious warning about the danger of “drifting away” from the faith. “We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away … how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation? See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.”

In today’s passage, the writer offers his listeners a model of faithfulness to follow. When Abram and Sarai were age 99 and 89, respectively, God made an oath.

“As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.

“As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah. I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.”

Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness. In due time, he received what was promised.

We’ve already considered Abraham as an example of forbearance. Remember the Greek word “makrothymia” can be translated forbearance, patience, or long-suffering. It implies a willingness to wait; “avoiding the premature use of force.” Forbearance doesn’t rush to action or anger. There is an active endurance and deliberate perseverance to it. Forbearance has a long fuse.

We can also consider Abraham as an example of faithfulness that expresses an active trust and reliance on God. Abraham experienced the “divine persuasion” that God nurtures in those who seek after Him, promoting more and more trust and confidence.

To seal the deal (greater than a “triple dog dare”), God swore an oath on Himself, which – as the writer states – “puts an end to all argument.”

“Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath.” 

God’s promise to Abraham was that, through his offspring, all nations of the Earth would be blessed. The writer wanted to make sure that his listeners understood that the Messianic pledge included them (and us) as the “heirs of what was promised.”

Remember that, in Chapter 2, the writer used the word pararreó, which means to flow by or carelessly pass. It is the image of a boat whose mooring has slipped and is carried away by the strong current. The warning is that, without intentional effort, the listeners will slowly and silently drift away from the secure anchorage of the gospel.

Today, the writer uses the word ankyran = anchor. “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” That anchor of faith is not resting on the ocean floor somewhere. It is safely dug in “behind the curtain” in the Holy of Holies where Jesus – our Captain, Champion, Hero, and High Priest – has gone ahead on our behalf “in the order of Melchizedek” (more on that tomorrow).

Flourishing Habit

Flourishing Christians

In today’s passage, the writer refers to himself, his listeners, and us as “we who have taken refuge.” He uses the word katapheugó, which conveys urgent movement away from danger toward a specific place or person for safety. It means recognizing a threat and running for your life to a place of sanctuary and protection.

In the Old Testament, katapheugó was connected to “cities of refuge,” to which a person who had accidentally killed someone could flee. These cities served as a safe haven from family members seeking vengeance. Numbers 35:15 says, “These six towns will be a place of refuge for Israelites and for foreigners residing among them, so that anyone who has killed another accidentally can flee there.”

The Amplified Bible translates Hebrews 6:18, “we who have fled [to Him] for refuge would have strong encouragement and indwelling strength to hold tightly to the hope set before us.” Followers of Jesus have fled for our lives to Him to take hold of the hope set before us.

What are we fleeing from? Spiritual apathy. Self-reliance. Hearts hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. Lives held in slavery by fear of death. Sinful, unbelieving hearts that turn away from the living God. Chronic spiritual immaturity. Shipwrecked faith.

“But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. Surely, LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield” (Psalm 5:11-12).

Is your relationship with Jesus an anchor for your soul, firm and secure?

Have you fled to Him for refuge?

How will that reality make a difference in your life today?

Remember: Nothing changes until something changes!