“The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.  What can anyone do to me? (Hebrews 13:6)

At one point in our marriage, we considered adopting a little girl.  I had someone say to me, “You will have a special place in heaven.”  I was taken back by that statement because I don’t believe that just because I was considering doing something potentially good, I get to go to heaven and have a special place. Unfortunately, the little girl had bigger problems than we could handle without some sort of training.  We always pray for her, but were unable to take her in.  So then, does that mean that now I do not have a special place in heaven?

There is a reason I love the Lutheran faith.  The theology is beautiful.  We believe that we are saved by grace and justified by our faith.  What that means is that you and I do absolutely nothing for our salvation!  Jesus did it all for us!  The reason we do good works is a response to our love for Jesus Christ and what He did on the cross for us.  Because Jesus died on the cross it is therefore, I have salvation.  Not by anything I have done – but what Jesus did for me!  However, our response to our love for Christ does matter.  Just because we are saved by grace and we are covered by grace, does not give us the free will to sin.  Our actions do matter!

In Hebrews 13:1-16, we get a whole list of do’s and don’ts.  However, I believe what Paul is saying here is how hard it is going to be to hold ourselves above reproach as Christians.  He states, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.  What can anyone do to me? (v.6).  Here is the thing…How we conduct ourselves in this life reveals who we are as a person in Christ.  What we are looking for is the city that is to come (v.11).

Let us pray…Jesus, be with us each day to do what is pleasing to you.  Hold us above reproach so that all will know of our love for you. Let us do what is pleasing to you in service and the way that we treat others.  In your name we pray.  Amen.