On a recent afternoon, I picked up my phone to find that the battery was nearly dead. At first, I was surprised to see this because it usually has a lot more life left in it by the time I go to bed each night. But then I realized that it was so low because I had spent far too much time scrolling through social media and the internet trying to find some information that would calm my fears about the troubling circumstances we’ve been facing this year. Obviously, this search had been fruitless, and my nearly dead battery served as a reminder of that fact.
In this season of uncertainty, we may be tempted to put our confidence in earthly things: “experts”, politicians, public figures, our own knowledge or opinion, but all of these people and ideas will fail us at some point—probably sooner than later.
One of the themes in the book of Hebrews is that Jesus is better. He is better than the angels, better than Moses, a better High Priest, a better Promise, a better Hope & Covenant, a better Tabernacle, and a better sacrifice.
As I think about all those things that Jesus is superior to, I can’t help but laugh at how foolish I am that I ever put my confidence in any earthly thing. The truly sad thing is that I do this daily, without even thinking about it. Our sinful nature is constantly fighting to take our eyes off of Jesus, to place our confidence in things that cannot and will not save or sustain us. The author of Hebrews repeatedly exhorts us to hold fast to our confession, our confidence, and “the hope set before us” (6:18).
Had I spent my time reading my Bible instead of searching the internet that afternoon, my phone battery wouldn’t have nearly died, and my heart and mind wouldn’t have felt so run down either. We, as imperfect people, frequently need help remembering where our true hope lies.
So how do we “hold fast to our confession”? One way is by being in relationship with other believers and meditating on God’s word together. Hebrews 3:12-13 says, “12 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. 13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”
Do you have any Christian relationships like that? If not, what can you do this week to sharpen the relationships you have or seek out a discipleship relationship?