Through a sacrifice made for us,
Comes a promise given to us!
Scripture for today: Hebrews 10:19-23 (NLT)
“And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.”
As I read this passage of Scripture two important points encourage me. First, I can rejoice that Jesus, through his death, opened a new way for me to have my own relationship directly with God! This is a gift given by a merciful and faithful God that could not be earned by something I could ever do. Second, we receive a confident hope because God can be trusted to keep his promises. A promise here is an eternal life with him.
The Most Holy Place was the innermost and most sacred area of the ancient tabernacle of Moses and the temple of Jerusalem. It was in this place that ONLY the High priest could enter and offer a sacrifice to atone for the sins of the people of Israel. And this could only happen once a year. It is important to understand that not “just anyone” could gain access to God almighty. But when Jesus came to earth as a man and died for us on the cross, He became a living sacrifice for our sins and through His death and resurrection God presented a NEW, personal way to access Him. The people of Israel along with the gentiles (those who were not Jewish) could now talk to God! We can go before the Lord in prayer, we can ask for forgiveness, we can repent for our sins and we can be assured of a life with God after our death. There were no more sacrifices to be made. No more “works” to be done.
But how was this possible? It is only through the promise of God. Scripture tells us that the only way to the Father is through believing in His son, Jesus Christ. Believing with a pure heart that what Christ did was real that his love was so great that he gave his life for us.
A promise can be defined as ‘a declaration that something will or will not be done, or given by one.’ I am grateful that the promises from God are not like the promises from people. I have made promises in my life, and I bet you have as well. And although I wish I could say that I have kept every promise I’ve ever made, I cannot. I consider myself an honest and trustworthy person yet I must confess that I messed this up at times. I could argue that some of my broken promises happened unintentionally or accidentally, but again, that doesn’t change the facts. My past is full of broken promises, hard to admit but still true.
As I began seeking a relationship with God, it was hard for me to believe that to have eternal life there was nothing more I needed to do but accept who Christ was and what He did for me. It wasn’t easy… I had to get to know God in order to trust Him. And to know Him I had to truly seek Him. I had to read the stories of men and women who were rescued by the beautiful saving grace of Jesus. When I did this, I found Him. You see God isn’t like us. He is able to do more, to love deeper, and He always keeps His word. I can’t compare what happens to me by people in this world to how God behaves. He made a way for me to go directly to Him when His only son, Jesus, died for me upon that wooden cross. With a grateful heart I receive this gift.
I trust His promise.
Holding Fast to Hope,
Jen
Reference Scriptures: Exodus 30:10, Hebrews 9:1-15, Hebrews 11, John 14:6, Jeremiah 29:13
