August 11

Thus by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be strongly encouraged. — Heb 6:18 BSB

If you’ve ever had a time in your life where fear, guilt, and a sense of dread overwhelmed you, and when you didn’t know what to think or do, and then you caught a glimpse of a refuge in Christ—His work, His blood, His righteousness—you know what it’s like to flee to Him for safety. If you ran to Him in that moment, felt His kind reception, and found a safe harbor from guilt and fear, then you understand what it means to lay hold of the hope set before you. Only those who have experienced this are heirs of the promise, so it’s vital to have had these personal experiences of fleeing to Christ.

How can we know we possess the life of God in our souls unless we’ve had such moments of fear and then fleeing to Christ for refuge? Look inside yourself—can you trace these two experiences in your heart? First, was there a time when you feared the coming judgment and felt compelled to run from it? And second, realizing you had no refuge in yourself, knowing that your own righteousness was too small and insufficient, did you flee to Jesus as your only hope? Did God open your eyes to the refuge found in Christ, and did you lay hold of Him in faith, finding rest and peace?

If you can see these two features of divine life in your soul, then you are one of those whom the Scripture speaks of—you have fled for refuge and have laid hold of the hope set before you in the gospel.