Over the years, I’ve been asked many questions about faith, fear, sin, God, right and wrong. Some of the answers have been obvious. The Bible lays down clear boundaries regarding the issues of our life–things like repentance, forgiveness, obedience and sin.
Other areas are not so clear, like “Should I take this medication?”, “Should I change jobs?” or “Do you think I should go back to school?” These questions don’t have an obvious, straightforward answer.
So, how do we know what to do? How can we get clear direction for the important decisions of our life? Yes, we can talk to others. And, we can seek wise counsel. These are good, and the Bible says we should do these things. But, the ultimate choice still remains with us. We alone have to face the natural and supernatural consequences of our decisions.
In the past, under the old covenant, the people could only go to God through the high priest. Only he had direct access to God. Only he could go into the temple’s innermost chamber–the holy of holies. No other person could go there. All of your requests, all of your prayers, all of your questions, all of your concerns were funneled to God through this man, the high priest.
Today, under the new covenant, things are quite different. We no longer have an earthly high priest. We no longer funnel our prayers through an earthly man. Yes, we still have a High Priest; we still have one who goes before God on our behalf. Our High Priest is Jesus Christ. Because of him, we can now go directly to God ourselves. Jesus paved the way for us to approach God, not in our own goodness, but in goodness of Christ.
Here’s how the writer of Hebrews explains it: “We have a great High Priest who has gone to heaven, Jesus the Son of God. Let us cling to him and never stop trusting him. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same temptations we do, yet he did not sin” (4:14-15).
So, what does having Jesus as our High Priest do for us? What can we do now that we couldn’t do before? Listen, as the writer continues in verse 16: ” Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
If you have a question, a concern, a prayer, a fear, a time of need, then Jesus Christ has made a way for you to come directly to the throne of grace. You don’t have to go through a priest, a pastor, a minister or any earthly man. With Jesus as your new High Priest, the doors of heaven are open to you, because “God qualified him as a perfect High Priest, and he became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey him” (Hebrews 5:9).
Prayer: Father, I know that I’m unworthy to stand before your throne of grace. My sin is disgusting in your sight for you are a perfect, holy, sinless God. But, you sent your Son to die for me and to make a way for me to come to you. Father, I receive the work of Jesus Christ in my life. I choose today to obey him that I may stand before your throne of grace in my time of need. Father, forgive me of my sins. I choose to turn away from my sin, and turn towards you. Give me the strength to follow you all the days of my life. I ask these things in Jesus’ name. Amen.
