Begin with 2 minutes of silence and stillness before God.

One of our favorite things during the summer is to look for a rainbow. As soon as the rain tapers off, my children will go to our windows to see if God will shine a rainbow across the sky. It’s not just the beauty of the rainbow that captivates them; we often talk about how the rainbow is God putting on display His love for us. 

Hebrews 1:3 states, “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” The kids usually experience more rainbows than I do because sometimes I feel like I must finish what I am busy doing before I can go outside to see the rainbow. If I am being honest, I experience this same thing with God in my spiritual life. Some mornings, life hits me as soon as I open my eyes; a kid comes into my bedroom early, or one of the dogs will bark, needing to go outside, and thus the day begins. The busyness of the day never slows. By bedtime, I fall asleep before my head even hits the pillow. Just like with being busy and missing the rainbow, Satan has kept me busy, and I have missed my time with Jesus. 

On those days when Satan keeps me busy, the words in Hebrews get pushed to the back of my mind, and I find myself trying to do things in my own power rather than remembering that “he upholds the universe by the word of his power.” This is exactly where Satan wants me, but in Hebrews 2, we see that Jesus faced all the same struggles and temptations that we face; “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death.” God sent His Son, Jesus, to struggle and be tempted as we are tempted so that He is able to help us in our struggles and temptations each day, but He can only provide help when we are spending time with and seeking Him.

Spending time with Jesus each morning should be the best part of our day; our time with Him will lead us into a closer relationship. In Hebrews 2:16-20, we read, “For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. Therefore, he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”  

For each of us, this earthly journey is one where we will struggle and be tempted, but if we fix our eyes on Jesus, we will see that the radiance shining forth from Him is the very essence of God, an exact expression of God. He is seated at the right hand of God, sustaining and carrying all things in the universe by the Word of His Power. If we live in Him, we do not live a defeated life; instead, He is our merciful High Priest making intercession for us. He suffered and was tempted, just as we are each day; He is our help, we just have to come to Him in faith and prayer. Don’t give in to temptation, make time for Him each day, and He will guide your every step. Just like the beauty and the radiance of the rainbow draw my children in, let the radiance of Jesus captivate you and draw you in with a childlike faith – He loves you! 

Take two minutes to reflect in silence.

Reflection:

Use the S.O.A.P. Method to study God’s Word.

• SCRIPTURE: What stands out to you in today’s passage?
• OBSERVATION: What is this text saying? What is the context? How does it fit with the verses before and after it? Are there any commands, instructions, or promises? 
• APPLICATION: How can you apply this verse to your life? What does this mean today? What is God saying to you? 
• PRAYER: Respond to the passage in prayer. Ask God to help you apply this truth to your life and spend some time listening to what He may be telling you.