October 28 | Hebrews 13:3

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DAILY READING

Hebrews 13:3

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REFLECTION

Remembering with Jesus

By Pam Mann

The final chapter of Hebrews lays out concrete ways that believers can put into practice the faith that the first twelve chapters have beautifully described. A life covered by the blood of Jesus is not an ethereal existence. It’s a hands-on sweaty adventure. You get to join Jesus in unshakeable kingdom work.

Specifically, in Hebrews 13:3, our challenge is to continue to remember those in prison and those abused, perhaps suffering for their faith. In fact, the exhortation is quite clear. Remember these folks as if you were there, suffering with them. Clearly this remembering is not merely mental recall. This type of remembering pushes you to action. You are up and out the door, taking food or whatever’s needed to ease the suffering.

Care for the imprisoned and the distressed is something the Church has done in the past. Here we

have the call to keep it up. After all, we follow a Master who, after telling the Good Samaritan parable (Luke 10:25-37), said, “Go and do likewise!”  That same Master in the parable of the goats and the sheep (Matthew 25:36) said, referring to himself, “I was in prison, and you visited me.” And didn’t this same Master stand in the synagogue (Luke 4:16-21) to read from Isaiah that the Spirit of the Lord “has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives?” If we’re following Jesus, we’re certainly remembering the prisoners.

It's no surprise then that believers serve in Alpha Prison Ministries or Kairos weekends. These ministries seek to share the Gospel with prisoners. Then, the result of this outreach is that we have Christian brothers and sisters behind bars.... to continue to remember.

And that’s not the only way we find believers behind bars. If we peek at Hebrews 13:23, we read “you should know that our brother Timothy has been released.” Scholars assume this phrase to mean that Timothy was released from imprisonment for gospel proclamation. It’s interesting that some folks land in prison first and then meet Jesus, while others know Jesus first and then land in prison.

Whether the prison comes first and then the Gospel or vice versa, the Hebrews exhortation to us remains the same. Continue to remember those imprisoned and mistreated.

PRAYER

Jesus, we want to join You where You are, even in prison. We pray your blessing on ministries, like Kairos and Alpha, that walk through prison doors for Your name’s sake. Keep us compassionately remembering imprisoned brothers and sisters.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

PAM MANN

I first joined UALC when my husband (then my fiancé) and I were college students involved in youth ministry. God has used UALC to nurture our family’s faith, even in our years outside the U.S. I’ve participated in UALC ministries with kids, art, prayer, exercise, ESL, and Bible teaching. I do all the fun church things.