(22) Fixated on Jesus our Sympathetic Priest - Hebrews 4:13-16 (p65f)

 

 

(22) Fixated on Jesus our Sympathetic Priest - Hebrews 4:13-16 (p65f)

 

Fixated: Advent Meditations from the Book of Hebrews

Tim Chester

10 of those, 2020 ISBN: 9781913278953 73pp

https://www.10ofthose.com/uk/products/26683/fixated

 

What good news it is that God knows us completely and loves us anyway! Our deepest darkest secrets are already known to him. He sees all the skeletons in our closet. And he can deal with it. He has dealt with it in Jesus. We are thoroughly known and thoroughly loved. He knows us and loves us even better than we know and love ourselves.

 

We can’t pretend to God. We don’t need to. We need not fear losing face before the Lord God who sees and knows all things. Embarrassment is pointless. We have no need of masks.  

 

The Book of Common Prayer Collect for Purity reminds us of God’s perfect knowledge of us:

 

ALMIGHTY God, unto whom all hearts be open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love thee, and worthily magnify thy holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

We can approach the throne of God’s grace with confidence in Jesus. God’s undeserved love is freely available to us.

 

If we doubt our welcome to heaven, we might imagine Jesus our High Priest praying for us. (Imagine hearing him pray for you. How could the prayers of the perfect Son of God who has died for us not prevail with God the Father?) Yes, our sins are real and great. But so is his love, his sacrifice. His prayers are more powerful than our guilt. We can be sure we will find the help we need. Let us draw near to God, knowing that he will draw near to us.

 

Song: Before the throne of God above - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LULK2nZ6sCc