Hebrews 1

The first chapter of Hebrews describes the Son of God, through whom God has spoken to us in "these last days." Something that stuck out to me this morning was that Christ "sustains all things." Colossians 1:17 says that in him all things hold together. I too often skim over weighty statements like this, but it implies that without Christ all things would not hold together.

It made me think of what Jesus said at the end of John 8. The Jews have just accused him of being possessed by a demon because he refutes their claim of being Abraham's children. They refuse to believe that he's the Messiah and mock him for acting as though he's had a personal conversation with their patriarch. But Jesus says, "I tell you the truth, before Abraham was born, I am!"

Wow! Jesus is awesome! Not 'awesome' like, "that TV show was awesome," but awe inspiring. Like when you look up at the stars and really think about how old they are, and how huge and distant, yet we'll see the same stars tonight that Job saw thousands of years ago (Job 9:9). Through him all this was made, and in him it all still holds together. He is not to be taken lightly.

where my treasure is

In light of the recent disaster in the South, some hidden insecurities have come to the surface in conversations that I’ve had or overheard. What will happen if gas prices keep getting higher? What if an earthquake destroys our town like hurricane Katrina destroyed New Orleans? What if I lost everything?

My perspective on “stuff” has changed a lot over the past few years. I used to think about being rich and having a big house and a nice car. But a couple of months ago, pastor Randy talked about possessions in church, and one of his questions was to this effect: “Can you list the things you couldn’t live without on both hands?” I can only think of a couple of things I would really mourn over. I’m not saying this to brag about how spiritual I am. I know that it is not my doing that I have this perspective, but by God’s discipline. He has taken things away very deliberately, to show me that He is enough, that He is all I really need. And I have only been gently tested in this area. I have never had to go without food for any length of time, or not had a place to sleep (for which I am very thankful), though there was a time when our family came very close to that point.

Things can become entanglements to us. The more we have, the more we have to worry about. We think we control the stuff, but often it really controls us. You don’t park the new car near anyone else for fear that it will get dented. You have trouble sleeping on your vacation because someone might break into your house and take your [fill in the blank]. I can think of some things to fill in that blank.

In Matthew 6:19-20, Jesus says, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy. and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” God wants us to invest in his kingdom, not here. It’s an all or nothing investment plan. Either I will be totally invested on earth, or totally invested in God’s kingdom. To try to do both makes it difficult to belong to either place.

We are God’s children – heirs to his kingdom (Romans 8:15-17, Ephesians 1:13-14). We are citizens of heaven (Philippians 3:20). I need to realize this and live like it’s true. I don't intend to sell all my possessions right now, but I want to be prepared to do it if God asks that of me. I don’t ever want to become so attached to anything that I would be devastated if I lost it. Instead, I want to delight myself in the Lord, and wait for him to give me the desires of my heart.

“I will hold on to the hand of my Savior
I will hold on with all my might
I will hold loosely to things that are fleeting
But I will hold on to Jesus for life.”
-Steven Curtis Chapman