Day 309

Ezekiel 12:1-14:11; Hebrews 7:1-17; Psalm 105:37-45; Proverbs 27:3

Perfect Jesus for Imperfect People

The message from Hebrews about Jesus’ unique identity, His perfect qualifications as our heavenly High Priest, and His once-and-for-all sacrifice breathes faith and hope into the lives of so many even in the midst of turmoil and tribulation.

Today’s text from Hebrews reveals just how much more perfect and available our path to God’s presence is now that Jesus has become our “high priest.” The nature of Jesus’ sacrifice as once-for-all, coupled with Jesus’ own personal sin-free life, means that His intercessory power and saving presence are available at all times and in all places. Jesus is always available to each of us and makes it possible for us to have an intimate relationship with God – the CREATOR of everything. The forgiveness Christ obtains for us brings us into our heavenly home as full members of the divine family, where we are protected and cherished, nurtured and taught at the knee of our divine Parent.

Anyone who is a parent knows that parenting is an all-encompassing undertaking. It doesn’t matter if your child is an infant, a teen, or a senior, you are forever on duty. Think how much more far-reaching is the parental care that we may receive from God, who as our divine Parent is not limited by time and space. As every human parent and every child knows, there are some times, some experiences, which each individual must face without the support of others. But as long as we have let Christ open the way to a personal relationship with God, there is never again any experience in life, or death, that we must face alone. No matter how great our fear, how severe our pain, how lingering our wait, how deep our doubts, the promise of the gospel is that God is there for us and with us all the time.

But God doesn’t stop there. Because God is eternal, God’s love for us extends beyond the short years of our time on earth. The divine arms that hold us throughout our lives don’t suddenly let go and abandon us at death. You and I are embraced in the Lord’s arms forever.

Phyllis Bartle
St. Jude’s Episcopal Church
Orange City, FL