Shining lights

Remember your former leaders, who spoke God’s message to you. Think back on how they lived and died, and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and for ever. Do not let all kinds of strange teachings lead you from the right way. It is good to receive inner strength from God’s grace, and not by obeying rules about foods; those who obey these rules have not been helped by them.  (verses 7-9)

Read Hebrews 13:1-16

In ancient times, alone on empty and wide seas, sailors looked to the heavens for reassurance. There they found the stars which told them where they were and which way they had to go. They were the shining lights in which they put their trust, whether they were tossed by storms of nature or confronted by human fears and fantasies.

As Christians we have similar problems – and remedies. All around us are freaks of nature – natural calamities, disease and death – which fill us with fear and insecurity. And everywhere there are human voices telling us what to do and how to lead our life, most of them proving to be untruthful, unreliable and downright deceptive.

At such times we too need to look to the heavens for our shining lights. There we find the saints and great church leaders who are our role models. There is Jesus himself, whose commitment and advice are constant and totally reliable. Keep clinging also to the precious gospel, which assures us of God’s love for us and his plans to save us.

Dear God, in times of doubt and trouble help me to direct my gaze on you for reliable help and unchanging love. Amen.

by Richard Hauser, in ‘New Strength for each Day’ (LCA, Openbook, 1998)

Visit the Daily Devotion archives page.