More Precious, More Real, More Near (A reflection from Heb 2:1-4)

The book of Hebrews was written to a group of Jewish Christians. A group who were originally deeply rooted in Judaism, but had now believed in Jesus Christ.

Picture a Jew who grew up in the old covenant. Who has heard, learned and lived the old covenant all of his life. Up until the moment he believed in Christ and chose to follow after Him. 

Now, the book of Hebrews was written to a people who were eagerly anticipating Christ' return and had, perhaps, grown a little discouraged. 

Waiting does that to us sometimes, doesn't it?

The author wrote Hebrews to remind this group of people in waiting of one truth - what they have is far better than what they had - and to urge them not to go back. In short, the author was appealing to these Christians not to go back to Judaisam. 

And I thought of how someone could have written the same to us: Do not neglect the salvation and turn back to buddhism, hinduism, taoism... (Even atheism, for that matter.) 

Do not neglect nor drift away (Heb 2:1,3) from the salvation we have received. Do not lose sight of the Person of Jesus.

The word translated as neglect, ameléō, means to lack concern, to be indifferent/ unaffected by something or to view something as without significance. Wow, we are not to be unaffected by the salvation that we have received. 

As I pondered on how the author urged us not to be unaffected by our salvation, I was reminded of this lyric from Amazing Grace: How precious did that grace appear the hour I first believed.

It is like that, isn't it? 

Do you remember that first hour?

How precious Christ was.

How beautiful grace was.

How lovely the fellowship with Christ.

How near Christ was. 

How real He was.

Yet, over time, as we journeyed on with the Lord, we drift away from Him. 

Much like the Parable of the Sower. Sometimes, when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, Christ seem less real. Other times, the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches cause Christ to seem less precious. 

And we, ever so slowly and subtly, drifted and went back to some old ways/ old thinking/ old tradition, a little by little?

I thought of the admonition in Heb 2:1 to give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. 

Coincidentally, I was away from home for work the week that I was reading Heb 2. 

After the work trip ended, before checking out of my hotel, I went to explore the beach that was right behind and within the vicinity of my hotel. 

Source: Personal

I sat on the bench, taking in the beautiful sky and beach in front of me.

And I thought of how surreal all this was. Although it is sort of a yearly trip that I will make for work, it is very much a break from my everyday routine (away from home, from family, from mummy duties and all). 

As I sat there, these words suddenly rang in my mind: 'Less near, less real'.

I was reminded of what I read in Hebrews 2, of the song 'Amazing Grace' and of the Parable of the Sower. And I found myself asking:

Has the pleasures of life make Christ to be less precious?

Has the distractions and busyness of life cause Christ to be less near?

Has the struggles in life cause Christ to be less real?

And it dawned on me that where I am, what I do, how I feel may change. 

But who I am does not change. Christ, too, changes not.

I could be back at home in KK, going about my mummy duties. Or I could be one South China Sea away, all across the other side of Malaysia, just enjoying the sound of the gentle early morning sea waves. The external changed.

Yet within, Christ is the same. 

Christ in me is the same. And me in Christ is the same. 

Tribulation or persecution will arise (John 16:33). 

Cares of this world will come (otherwise, the Apostle Paul would not have needed to tell us to be anxious for nothing. Phil 4:6).

Pleasures and all that is in the world - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life - will test us (1 John 2:16). 

The external is ever changing. The internal, on the other hand, is constant. 

It can be easy to drift when we turn our eyes to the external. Doesn't matter what the external is - evil worldly things or even good God things. 

Our life in Christ, with Christ should be ever growing - in knowledge of Him, in intimacy with Him, in our oneness with Him. 

O, may Jesus felt nearer to me today, than the day I first experienced His presence. 

May Jesus be more precious to me now, than the hour I first tasted His love and goodness. 

May Jesus be more real to me now, than the moment the Holy Spirit first gave me revelation. 

Come what may, I anchor myself to Christ. 

O my Lord Jesus, all else is sinking sand.