Hope

This morning I was reading in Hebrews 8-13. I usually avoid Hebrews because it is so confusing to me. But this morning these chapters were so encouraging for me. I just wanted to write down my thoughts for anyone who is in a trial right now and needs their faith strengthened.

In Hebrews there is a lengthy despcription of the old covenant under the law and a comparison to Jesus. You can get lost in all the refrences to the Old Testiment laws and rituals. But what struck me was just how futile it all was. The tabernacle was set up just so with all these instraments and sacrifices and offerings. Over and over the blood was shed, the offerings burnt, the blood was sprinkled, the prayers were made. And yet only once a year was one man (the high priest) allowed in the holy of holies, and he held his breath hoping he would live through the experience. There was such fear, so many things that had to be done right, so much depended on keeping the law.

Ever felt like that in your walk with God? That if you could just get it right. If you could just read enough of your bible, pray the right prayers, do the right things, then, maybe just maybe, you would feel the guilt of your sins lift. We don't like to admit that we live like this. I will admit that I tend to fall into the trap. Going to Bible School helped show me my walk of works and legalism, but it didn't irradicate the mindset completely! I still fall into the cycle of works at times.

Hebrews continues with a description of the perfect priest deciding he had had enough of a covenant that just wasn't working and decided to make a better covenant. (the failure of the first covenant was our fault entirely). So instead of offering sacrifices continually he just decided to give himself as the sacrifice to end all sacrifices. And the most beautiful part of it all? He didn't make that sacrifice so we could enter the holy of holies in a physical tabernacle. He made the sacrifice so we could go straight to the very throne of God. Heb 10:22 "let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, an dour bodies washed with pure water" Heb 4:16 "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

Here is the part that encouraged me today. In Heb 11 you have the faith chapter. A lengthy despcription starting in Gen 1:1 with the creation, and listing all these people in the old testiment who lived by faith hoping in a promise they couldn't see. Men and women who knew God was there and wanted to serve him, but were bound by the old covenant and the futile sacrifices that kept them at arms length from God. Yet they had such faith! They trusted, they believed, they followed, they even died for a God they could bearly know.

Hebrews continues in ch12 by encouraging us. We are surrounded by this cloud of witnesses who had so much faith, and yet never knew Jesus. A list of people too long to name who all stood in faith that God would make a way. If we have their example of faith, then where is our faith? We have the ultimate sacrifice, Jesus. He died to make a way into the very presence of a living God, not just into a small room with in the tabernacle that help the ark. He died and then rose and was seated on the throne so that he could fill us with his very spirit. God can now draw near to us and fill us and speak to us and lead us because of the sacrifice that Jesus made for us. 12:1 "wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily besets us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us"

That hit me right in the heart. God has made a way for us to stand in faith that actually gets us to the very throne of God. He gave us a sacrifice once and for all not just to cleanse us from sin, but to open a door to His very heart. He is sitting there just waiting for us to run into his arms of love. In fact he is the very one who draws us to the place of seeking him in the first place.
I know what it is like to feel like your prayers hit the ceiling and fall flat at your feet. I know what it is like to be overwhelmed with depression and have no desire to reach beyond the dark cloud that sufficates you. I know what it is like to feel so much guilt and shame that you don't think God could ever possibly love you. I know what it is like to just want to give up.
But Hebrews continues in 12:12 "wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed"

I want to strengthen any who are weary today. God's love is everlasting. His desire is toward you. He longs to embrace you with forgiveness and grace and strength in your weakness. He wants to consume you with himself.

I am coming out of years of a dark battle that I felt would never end. In that battle I found God's love so pure and consuming that if it were not for his grace I would have been consumed. His mercies were new for me every morning and he was so very faithful (Lam 3). I hope you can find a sanctuary in your time of need today!

Let me know if you need any prayers!