Monday 20 September, 2021

23 Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; 24 but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. 25 Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. 26 Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. 27 Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. 28 For the law appoints as high priests men in all their weakness; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.

I believe, one of the most challenging things that a Christian can explain to non-believer is that Jesus is living, alive and I have a relationship with Him. That I can pray to Him and that he speaks to my life and my heart. Some people may believe that Jesus was a person that was alive more than 2000 years ago and died and there is no way that He could be in contact with anyone. 

Others may believe that the church is an ancient place, a place of ritual and routine, not a place that is contemporary, dynamic and truly alive. Whereas, I emphatically believe that Jesus lived, died and rose again and lives forever (Amen!) and that He has a permanent priesthood (v24). He is able to save completely those who come to the Father through Him, because He always intercedes for them (v25). When Jesus has interceded for me in the past I can hardly even speak about it. The ways that Jesus has addressed the concerns and needs of my heart in those exact moments has been so incredibly personal it has often made me speechless. How could He have known what I needed at that exact moment? How was it that He went before me to manage everything that I was to face so that I was not alone?

It is truly because He made me, He knows me. I am His. 

Dear Jesus, thank you for your permanent and alive Priesthood. Thank you that you make a way for us to have a relationship with you and that you intercede for us. Help us to understand that you are a loving God that is always wanting us to be near you and to learn from you. 

Amen

Written by Susannah Ware