August 24
“Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need,” Hebrews 4:14-16.
In the words above, we have the comforting assurance that we can touch the heart of Jesus, who can sympathize with us in all of our weaknesses, in all of our troubles, and in all of our hurts and aches.
In Old Testament times, the High Priest alone went into the Holy of Holies and he sprinkled blood on the mercy seat for his own sins and the sins of the people. Jesus is our High Priest, who sacrificed Himself on the altar of the cross, and with His holy, precious blood He washed away the sins of all people. Having completed the work for our redemption, He ascended into heaven, and He is at the right hand of God; He is in the position of power and He rules over all things, and He pleads and prays for us.
We hold fast to Him, the Son of God, who is the foundation for our faith. The apostle Paul wrote to the Ephesians, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace,” Ephesians 1:7. Our faith is “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the Chief Cornerstone,” Ephesians 2:20.
Jesus, our High Priest, can sympathize with us in all of our weaknesses and difficulties. Jesus, the Son of God, also became a true human being, who knows what it is to endure pain, suffering, and sorrow. He suffered more than any other human being ever did. The prophet Isaiah spoke of His intense suffering: “He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth,” Isaiah 53:3-7.
He was forsaken by His heavenly Father, and cried out from the cross, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” Matthew 27:46. He was forsaken so that you and I never need to be. He knows what it is like to be poor. Paul wrote, “You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich,” 2 Corinthians 8:9. Jesus said, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head,” Matthew 8:20.
During His trial, they slapped His face, crowned Him with thorns, scourged and whipped Him, ridiculed and mocked Him, and then nailed Him to a cross to die! Jesus knows what it is like to be deserted and hated, to feel intense pain, suffering, and sorrow, and to face temptations and finally death. Yes, He was human, but without sin. He suffered all these things to pay the price for our sins so that we might be saved.
Jesus knows how we hurt and feel. We should come boldly to the throne of grace and pour out our hearts with our hurts, and touch the heart of Him who invites us to pray and who promises to hear and answer us. He promises help for both body and soul. He assures us of His love and forgiveness for all our sins, and He promises to fulfill all our needs. He stands with outstretched arms and invites, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God,” Philippians 4:6.
Dear heavenly Father, You have a father’s heart to hear and help us in all our needs for both body and soul! In Jesus’ name. Amen.