Advent For Those Grieving | No. 17
ADVENT DAY SEVENTEEN
"but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. Hebrews 7:24-25
HE LIVES TO INTERCEDE FOR YOU
The role of the priest in the Old Testament was to mediate between the people and God. Jesus as High Priest mediates for us. We no longer need a man to mediate between us and God because of Jesus. And because Jesus came to earth as a baby and lived a normal life and felt the weight of the brokenness and did so without sin, He is able to identify with us in our weakness and in our suffering. He is a mediator who understands, who empathizes, who has compassion. Because He knows.
This verse speaks of the "better hope" that we have because of Jesus:
For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness (for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God. Hebrews 7:18-19
We also see in chapter 7 of Hebrews that Jesus is not only our High Priest, but our High Priest forever (verse 17, 24). What does that mean for us today? That means that Jesus forever and always "lives to make intercession" for you and me. This word "intercession" means:
- To come to or meet a person on any cause whatever.
- To intercede, pray for, or entreat in the behalf of, another.
- To defend or vindicate a person.
- To commend.
- To furnish any kind of assistance or help.
Jesus is our High Priest, living to come meet you in your time of need, to pray for you, to defend and commend and provide help. He lives to make intercession for you, always. Because of Him we can go to God willingly and often without fear of condemnation or shame. We can take our smallest and our biggest concerns to Him and He welcomes us and we see the assurance that "He is able to save completely."
THE PROMISE
Jesus lives forever as our High Priest, living to make intercession for you and me, praying and pleading for us to the Father and He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him; to save us completely. "Jesus has broken the barrier, made the sacrifice, established a new covenant, and reinstituted our relationship with God."*
PRAYER
Father thank you for Jesus, my High Priest, for making intercession for me and doing so perfectly and completely. Thank you for a High Priest who knows my suffering and knows my pain and is pleading to God on my behalf. Remind my heart often that because of Jesus' life, death and resurrection I have a true and lasting hope that goes beyond what I can see or ever experience here. Would you remind my heart of that truth when all hope seems lost Father?
*From Compelling Truth
