I grew up with a harsh view of God. Perhaps it was my own lack of understanding - I am not blaming anyone for that perception. But, I was afraid of him and I was sure that I could never measure up and that his view of me was always negative and judgmental. I felt that I always needed to prove myself somehow but knew that I always came up short. I doubted His heart for me and I could not have been more wrong. In fact, His heart is always leaning into us with love, concern and compassion.
Hebrews 4:14-16, says this. “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are - yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of Grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
As a human, Jesus faced all the issues we face. He understands our situations and temptations. He knows what it is to live with doubt and despair or joy and success. He had the same relational issues with others that we have. Some embraced him while others vilified him. In becoming a man in the incarnation, he intentionally chose to step into our broken humanity with all the limitations and issues we face.
But here is an amazing thing. When Jesus went back to heaven, he took with him his body. Now glorified, but the God who created us, became one of us, and died for us will forever keep his human form because He chooses to identify with us.
And here is what the writer of Hebrews wants us to know. The same Jesus we read about in the Gospels is as accessible to us today from heaven as he was in the incarnation. His compassion, concern, understanding, mercy, grace, help, forgiveness, acceptance and love are the same today from heaven as they were from Galilee. His heart was for people then and His heart is for you today. He is for us, not against us. He understands us fully. He is available to us constantly.
Therefore, “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” What do you need today? He is inviting you into his presence. Where are you broken today? He invites you to come to Him for healing. What sin do you struggle with today? He invites you to confess it and find forgiveness. What fears or concerns do you carry in your heart today? He invites you to lay them at His feet. When we come to Jesus, there is no shame but understanding and forgiveness and help.
Don’t buy into lies about God. He is for you not against you. He is available, not distant. He is loving, not harsh. He gets you and he gets me. He understands our weaknesses and empathizes with us. He cares deeply for you. Today! Right now!
My own journey brought me back again and again to the gospels and to those passages where His heart for us is disclosed. Pay attention to them. Live in the grace found there and know that He is for you.
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