For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. - Hebrews 7:25 –26 (ESV)

Nothing lasts forever. To say it another way, nothing is constant in this world but change. These are truths that we know but don't like to admit to ourselves. Most of us are creatures of habit. We live in and even thrive in the routine. But when things change we can become unsettled and anxious.

Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation. For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. - Hebrews 6:9 –12 (ESV)

How do you get someone to move forward in life? Leaders, mentors, and parents often are working on a delicate balance of help, encouragement, and punishment. If you help and encourage all the time you risk never showing the danger and difficulty in error and the growth that failure brings. However if you punish and chide all the time, you risk discouragement and bitterness from those under your care. How you figure out the balance is part of the delicate art of leadership.

For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, and to him Abraham apportioned a tenth part of everything. He is first, by translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is, king of peace. He is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever. - Hebrews 7:1 –3 (ESV)

I admit it. I'm a sucker for the 'new and improved'. You throw tech into something and I'm likely to give it a second look. Put a touchscreen on it and there is a good chance it's on my 'buy list'. There is just something about the shiny, glassy screen that draws me to it like a bug to a zapper.

For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. - Hebrews 5:12 –14 (ESV)

The development of a child is amazing. Think about for the milestones in a the first year of a child's life. They come into the world knowing nothing and being able to do nothing. Over the course of time their abilities and skills multiply at an amazing rate.

We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. - Hebrews 6:19 –20 (ESV)

I don't have sea legs. I seem to get seasick fairly easily. I've only gone deep sea fishing a few times, but the last time I did more feeding the fish than catching them. I guess I'll have to give up my dream of being the star of 'The Deadliest Catch'!

For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness. Because of this he is obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins just as he does for those of the people. - Hebrews 5:1 –3 (ESV)

As a pastor there are certain expectations that come with the job. In a public gathering, I'm usually the one asked to pray. Sometimes people will ask random Bible questions. Other times people ask me to 'put a good word in with the man upstairs.' There is a general feeling that if anyone is close God, it must be the pastor. So while the concept of a priest may seem like a distant concept, there still seems to be echoes of it in our culture. We have a sense we are separated from a holy God and we need help to restore our connection and relationship to Him, but who and how seems to be fuzzy.