We hate leaving comfort zones. Our mornings start with the biggest there are – duvets. We can barely convince ourselves to leave them, even though when we’re properly awake we’re usually fine in a matter of minutes. It’s buried deep in us to want a pile of blankets to retreat to, or a fortress to feel safe in, or a community of people just like us that we never have to leave. Maybe that’s why the writer of today’s verse went out of their way to talk about Jesus and His comfort zone. Take a read of Hebrews 13:10-15. It tells you what Jesus thought about comfort zones. He left heaven (beats duvets, right?) so He could bring heaven to people living outside of it. And He did it while suffering. So, when we’re stuck in our self-made safety, Hebrews 13:13 is a wake-up alarm. To send us outside the camps we make for ourselves. To make us leave the four walls of our churches to meet the needs of people outside. The great thing is this is exactly how God’s designed our lives to function. When we’re out there, we find we’re properly awake. Jesus is out there, where the action is, and He’s waving back at us in our locked-up comfort zones. It’s much better out here – truly.
What now?
What does it mean for you to venture outside, today? Maybe it’s finally talking to that lonely person you see every day across the room. Or praying for a friend’s healing when everything might just turn out awkward. Or finally looking at that country you know God’s called you to.
