“Let mutual love continue.Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it. Remember those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them; those who are being tortured, as though you yourselves were being tortured. Let marriage be held in honor by all, and let the marriage bed be kept undefiled; for God will judge fornicators and adulterers. Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have; for he has said, “I will never leave you or forsake you.”So we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me?” Hebrews 13:1-6

“Throughout the Old Testament we find the call to remember, or to come to the aid of widows, orphans, people who were hungry, people who were homeless, and people who were in chains or in prison. The Israelites often failed to do that, however. So God often sent covenant messengers to remind them. Whether it was Isaiah, Jeremiah, Micah, or Amos, the message was the same: Remember the forgotten ones!” (H. David Schuringa, Hebrews 13)

Today’s verses from Hebrews are based on two Old Testa­ment Scriptures. In Deuterono­my 31:6 Moses offers great encouragement to God’s people: “Be strong and bold; have no fear or dread of them, because it is the Lord your God who goes with you; he will not fail you or forsake you.”. And in Psalm 118:6-7 the writer states: With the Lord on my side I do not fear. What can mortals do to me? The Lord is on my side to help me;
    I shall look in triumph on those who hate me.

These texts should be a comfort to anyone facing times of crisis. Knowing the assurance of G-d’s presence, we are comforted and filled with hope. We know that G-d is always with us and will never leave or forsake us.

But even in good times we face challenges. The first part of our passage today reminds us to love “one another as brothers and sisters.” We are urged to “show hospitality to strangers.” We are called to remember people who are in prison and those who are mistreated. We are to hold in great esteem our marriages and relationships, and we are to be content with what we have. These are not easy tasks. The only way we can serve G-d with confidence is by remembering that our Lord Jesus died for us so that we can joyfully live for him.

Let us remember every day: G-d is always with us and will never leave or forsake us.

Pastor Dave