Scripture to Meditate On: Hebrews 13

Hebrews 13:1-9
Let brotherly love continue. 2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. 3 Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body. 4 Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. 5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6 So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”
7 Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. 9 Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them. 

Thoughts to Ponder: 
"The way to be free from the love of money is to know and believe and be satisfied by the promises of God summed up in "I will never desert you nor will I ever forsake you." If God will never leave me or forsake me, I don't need to crave money as the source of my security and happiness; God will be there for me and meet every need. He doesn't promise wealth. He doesn't even promise freedom from financial stress. He promises to be there. "I will never desert you or forsake you."

In verse 6 the writer gives the practical conclusion we can draw from this promise: "So that [this is what results form the promise] we confidently say, "THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID. WHAT SHALL MAN DO TO ME? In other words, if God is really there for me, man is not the decisive shaper of my future, God is. That's why he says, "What can man do to me?" To which you might be tempted to say, "Good grief, man can do a lot to me. He can sue me, evict me, steal from me, slander me, even kill me." ~John Piper