Daily Devotional for Sunday, September 27

We Have a Refuge

“Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession,” Hebrews 4:14.
One of my favorite hymns is “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.” Joseph Scriven wrote it to provide comfort to his mother. Our relationship with Jesus is complicated in some ways. He is Savior, Lord, High Priest and Friend. But, at one time or another, we see Jesus in all of those roles in His relationship with us.
Our devotional verse above describes Jesus as our High Priest. In this role, we see Him as the one and only Mediator between us and God the Father. In fact, Jesus Himself told us that He is the only way to the Father.
Yet, if you read the entire devotional passage, you see a different aspect of our Lord. First, He can be our Mediator and High Priest because, although Jesus was fully human as He walked the earth, He never sinned. Had He sinned, He would have to pay for that and be unable to pay our way to the Father.
We also see Jesus as our sympathetic Friend. Jesus was just as human while He lived on this planet as you are. He felt pain, fear, hunger, joy and all the emotions that you feel. There is no trial that you face to which Jesus cannot relate. You are safe in the hands of Jesus, and He is our refuge. In His humanity, He felt all that you do, and in His Deity, He has the power to protect you and save you.
Our song above says this, “Oh, what peace we often forfeit, Oh, what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer!” Let us not forfeit God’s peace.

Just a Thought
If anyone tries to put himself in your life as a mediator between you and God the Father, run the other way, because he is a false teacher.

Wally Fry