Begin with 2 minutes of silence and stillness before God.

Have you ever felt the inward weightiness of an upcoming decision? Maybe it’s kept you up at night. Or maybe you’ve felt the anxiety that comes with making plans for the future, with all the details swarming around your mind, but not being able to settle on a single thing. Sometimes life is this way. From early on in life we’re tested, tempted, and tried - all with worries, anxieties, and regrets. This is what it is to walk around on this side of Heaven in the day-to-day, as limited human beings. But there is hope.

The author of Hebrews reminds us of this beautiful truth, unique to the God we serve: Christ knows what it is to be human. Our God sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to come to earth as a man. Fully human, yet fully God. Verse 14 says, “Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood” (NLT). Not only did he come as a human, he lived a sinless life, and then died to pay for our sins, conquering the power of death. And that’s not all.

Hebrews 2:16-18 says that Christ came to help us, not only as our “High Priest”, as Hebrews calls Him over and over, offering a sacrifice of full atonement once and for all time, but also because He has put on flesh and blood. “Since he himself has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help us when we are being tested.” (Verse 18, NLT). What grace and mercy abounds, that our Savior would do this for us. He became like us so that He could help us. This is a truth to remember at all times, especially in times of struggle. When things aren’t going quite right, and you’re tempted to give up…When you are betrayed or hurt…When a decision lies so heavy on you that you can’t rest. He has been where you are and tells you to come to Him. I frequently recall Jesus’ words in Matthew 11, “Come to me all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” (Verse 28, NLT). You can come to Him with your troubles, for He knows what it’s like to be human.

Take 2 minutes to reflect in silence.

Reflection:

• Pause and offer a prayer of thanksgiving to God for the hope you have in knowing He has put on humanity Himself.
• When you encounter big or small struggles, try prayer first, communicating with the Father about your situation before you consult anyone else. You might not see an immediate change, but it’s likely that you’ll see a perspective shift and gain clarity for your actions going forth.

Family Devo: Hebrew 2

By: Jana Whittington

Have you ever wondered how much God loves us? Well, the book of Hebrews in the Bible has a special message about God's love for us. In Hebrews 2, it talks about how much God cares for you and me. It says that God doesn't just love the angels, but that He loves us even more! Isn't that amazing? This reminds us that we are super important to God, and He watches over us with great love.

Verse 5 tells us something very important. It talks about how Jesus became a human just like us. Imagine that! Jesus, the Son of God, chose to become a person so He could understand our feelings and struggles. This shows us how much Jesus loves us too. He knows what it's like to be human, and He's always there to help us when we need Him. So, when you face tough times, remember that Jesus understands and cares for you deeply.

Hebrews 2 also teaches us about Jesus' sacrifice. It says that Jesus came to earth to rescue us from our sins. What does that mean? It means that because of Jesus, we can be forgiven when we do wrong things. He took the punishment for our sins so we could be friends with God forever. This is the most incredible gift of love! So, always remember that Jesus is your Savior, and He gave up so much for you because He loves you.

Lastly, it talks about how Jesus is our perfect High Priest. This means that He is always there to listen to us and talk to God for us. You can tell Him anything, and He will help you. He's like your best friend and your helper all in one! So, as you go through your day, remember that God loves you, Jesus cares for you, and you can talk to Him anytime you want. What an amazing, loving God we have! 

Prayer: Thank you, Jesus, for coming to earth to rescue me from my sins! Help me to trust you and follow you every day! I love you! In Jesus’ name, Amen.