Draw Near to God With Confidence
(NIV) Heb 10:19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.
23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another —and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
In what or in whom do you place your confidence? When we cross a bridge, we trust that the structure will hold firm until we pass to the other side. When we board a plane, we rely upon that mechanical bird to transcend gravity to deliver us safely to our destination. And when we lift our voices in prayer, we believe our words will carry the weight of the Scriptures through the power of the Holy Spirit.
This morning, following my physical therapy, we stopped at The Toasted Yolk for breakfast. While waiting for our coffee, we began conversing with a woman at the table next to ours. She had just returned from a chemo treatment, and after a few more minutes I asked if I could pray for her. She readily agreed and I moved to her table where we joined hands and hearts as we approached our Heavenly Father. We exchanged names and numbers and I returned to my table.
After finishing our meal, our server stopped and told us our meal had been taken care of. I asked who had provided us with this kindness, and she pointed to the table. It had been occupied by four women, and one of them told our server that she had some extra money and wanted to pay for our meal.
I immediately thought of verses 24-25 of today’s scripture which I had read prior to my appointment— “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another…”
I never hesitate to encourage others because that is my heart. And regardless of what obstacles these people face, I join with them in prayer, possessing the full assurance brought about by faith. May we remain aware of those around us whose day can be made a little better by a caring word, a friendly touch, and the knowledge that God patiently waits for us to draw near to Him.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
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