Read Hebrews 4:14-16

Now that we know what we have-Jesus,this great High Priest with ready access to God-let’s not let it slip through our fingers. We don’t have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He’s been through weakness and testing,experienced it all-all but the sin. So let’s walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy,accept the help. (THE MESSAGE)

Most of us dare not share our deepest and darkest secrets. If others whose opinions we value knew all there is to know about us,then perhaps they would reject us. Or at least keep their guarded distance from us. Dare we make ourselves vulnerable? Is the risk worth taking? And so,quite reasonably,we are cautious in how much we share with others.

But when it comes to Jesus it is rather different. He already knows our true,hidden-from-others self. And he stands ready to give us forgiveness as we come to him in penitence and faith. We can be sure he won’t reject us. Why would he have gone through the agonies of the cross if he didn’t love us to the limit and didn’t want our friendship?

In the words of Brennan Manning,”If we cannot be sure of acceptance,we cannot lay down the burden of sin. Rather we can only shift the heavy suitcase from hand to hand. We cannot lay bare our sinful hearts unless we are sure of forgiveness.”

Our passage today gives us just this assurance. There is nothing in us that will cause Jesus to turn his back on us if we come to him for mercy. We can lay down the burden of our guilt,our fear of non acceptance. Jesus knows all about us,but embraces us all the same. No need to tidy ourselves up before we come to him. We come as we are and ask him to make us more than what we are.

Blessings
David Reay

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