Today's readings are Exodus 10.21-11.10 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Ex.+10.21-11.10 ), Hebrews 4.1-16 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Heb.+4.1-16 ), and Lamentations 3.1-66 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Lam.+3.1-66 ).
Here's a quote from Hebrews 4 (ESV).
"11 Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. 12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."
Have you ever asked the Lord to show you your heart as he sees it? He does that all over the place in the Scripture. We have just been reading numerous exhortations in Hebrews to hold fast to our confession of faith, to avoid having an faithless and unbelieving heart, to strive to hold to Christ rather than to go our own way and depart from the Lord. That's our heart. We get to strive with it every day we live on this earth.
Thanks be to God, we have the Scripture - the written word, as well as the Holy Spirit - the spirit of the living Word of God. As we open our lives to this inspection, the Lord will be faithful to work in us through the surgical instrument of his word, making plain to us our need for repentance and forgiveness, as well as his provision of repentance and forgiveness through Jesus' perfect life, atoning death, and bodily resurrection.
Verse 14 points one step farther, to the ascension of Christ to the right hand of the Father. Jesus lived that perfect life on our behalf. He was crucified, dead, and buried for our sin. He understands all about our weaknesses. He has watched us fall prey to sin since the Fall, and knew all about our weakness before that.
As the loving Lord, Jesus has established a throne of grace for the believers to come to. While we see ourselves in light of His word as filthy, vile sinners, without a hope in this world due to our own righteousness, we can also see our Lord and Savior, sitting as the King on his throne of grace, and calling us to come to him. There he himself will proclaim his mercy, as he does in the Scripture. There he himself will impart his grace to us, as we see the enormity of our need. And there he will remind us that, as the Master who understands our weakness, he has provided forgiveness for our every sin.
Rejoice, not only is Christ crucified for us, he has also ascended, is enthroned, and calls us to his side for our protection!
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