Be confident

Continuing in Hebrews 4 today I finish the chapter.

14Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Jesus...our great high priest. That's what verse 14 means you know. Jesus is our high priest...and not only that...he is the GREAT high priest. That's like saying he's the high priest of all high priests. But we'll read about that more later in Hebrews...chapter 5 or seven or something. But that's getting beyond this passage.

What we are being encouraged to do here is to HOLD FAST our confession. Hold it fast. That's an active state of being. That's being involved and remembering and living out our faith. That's not saying we have faith and then putting it up on a shelf. Holding fast implies action.

See Verse 15 where we are told that Christ (our great high priest) is not one that doesn't understand that we have weaknesses, but rather a high priest who understands what it means to be tempted. EVEN THOUGH he didn't sin, he understands that we struggle with sin.

Knowing this, we can be confident as we draw near to him, to the throne of grace. We can confidently expect mercy and grace in our time of need.

I consider that verse you know....and I look back over my day...how I bunged up my knee again and how it just hurts...yet today has been a GOOD day. I played with my boy. I talked well with my hubby. I pet my dog. I took care of my bunnies...just grumbling a bit because it was wet and rainy and slippery out there and with a bum knee it was a challenge...but I did so well. I even got my pears canned. AND I have to say....it's all because of Christ. I could have chosen to whine and complain and grumble all day...but it's like no...I will choose better. I will choose to rely on God to help me hobble through the day. :) I even was able to spend time with him.

Rather cool all that. :) God is indeed gracious. We can indeed approach the throne of grace and know that we will receive mercy and grace sufficient for our needs.

Jesus, our GREAT high priest knows us all full well...let us then be confident coming to him.