Coffee With The Lord

There are some things you just can’t do for yourself (or things that aren’t advisable for you to try).  These are things for which you need a qualified person … someone who is appropriately certified, someone who knows what they’re doing.  For example, “do it yourself heart surgery” is NOT recommended!  It is usually not recommended that you serve as your own attorney is difficult court cases.

When it comes to you or I standing before God as guilty sinners we need a Divinely qualified priest!  Jesus is that priest according to the writer of Hebrews in your Bible!  You cannot deal with your own sin!  You can’t forgive yourself at the Heavenly tribunal!  You can’t take the divine pen and write “aquitted” (the Bible word is “justified”) over the official record of your transgressions!  Jesus can!!  He’s qualified as our “Great High Priest”!

I read the following words in my Bible this morning and had a bit of a personal praise and thanksgiving spell!!  I’m so grateful that Jesus is Divinely qualified to deal with my past – present – and future failures and sin!! 

“He is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.  Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens.  Unlike 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!  For the Law appointed as high priests men in all their weakness; but the oath (God’s oath), which came after the Law, appointed the Son (Jesus), who has been made perfect forever!”  (Hebrews 7:25–28)

“An invisible helper”… Ask a sailor, the wind blowing in the right direction can be a great help! Or ask a runner, temperatures that are pleasant are an encouragement to “put on the running shoes and tackle the trail.” And if you have an appliance that depends on electrical power, having it available and operative is important… Just a few examples of the importance of “an invisible helper!”

My Bible reading today reminded me that, as a Christians, we have an “In Invisible Helper” – here it is right out of the mouth of Jesus…

“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper to be with you forever – even the Spirit of truth… You know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you! I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you… The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid!” (From John 14:15-27 ESV)

“The Invisible Helper” – the Holy Spirit! He’s real! He is personal! He personifies God’s presence dwelling within! He helps Christians in countless ways! He empowers! He protects! He leads and guides! He reveals and reminds! He warns! He produces peace in the midst of conflict, trial and confusion. You can see, feel and experience His presence at work within you and around you. He is there even when you’re not aware of His presence! Oh thank God for “The Invisible Helper” – the Holy Spirit!

I’m just rejoicing today in the fact that God has given us a compassionate Savior – One we can identify with – A “Helper” who is “like us” in every way – but without our sin and failings!!

Here’s how the Bible puts it in Hebrews 2…

“In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what He suffered.  Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family! … Since the children have flesh and blood, He too shared in their humanity so that by His death He might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil – and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death… For this reason He had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that He might make atonement for the sins of the people.  Because He himself suffered when he was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted. “ (from Hebrews 2.10-18 NIV)

I don’t think there is any perfect analogy for what this Biblical passage describes (and I’m grateful for that)!  Perhaps an organ donor comes close – someone from the same family, with the same blood type and other similar characteristics, who selflessly provides a life-rescuing organ.  I don’t know, you may be able to think of other examples…   

I know this; I am surely grateful that our Heavenly Father sent His Only Son to earth as a human, to live a sinless life, to face and overcome temptation, to offer Himself to die for our sins, to conquer death, and make His resurrection power available to all who believe!  Thank You!  Thank You!!  Thank You God!!!