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5 In the same way, Christ did not take on himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to him, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father.” 6 And he says in another place, “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.” 7 During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. 8 Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered 9 and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him 10 and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek. (Hebrews 5:5-10 NIV Bible)
A tremendous Tuesday be yours, dear Friend. May our time in prayer bring blessings to those for whom we pray. May it also be a reminder of how easily we can access the Father through this wonderful gift of prayer. More on this in the devotional. May we pray for Mr. Ricardo Gonzalez, who returns to Houston for another series of injections to help him, Lord willing, with his battles with health issues. May this injection do what the doctors want and may God be glorified! Pray for your needs and for those shared with you during Sunday's worship in your church bulletin's prayer list. Also, please pray for the mother of one of our church members here in Gonzales: She is Chery Atkinson’s mother in Iowa. She has been diagnosed with lung cancer and is dealing with heart issues. Pray for healing and strength as they prepare for treatment options with her medical team. Also pray for Cheryl as she is on her way to be with her Mom. Pray for the world, your nation, and your community.
Have you ever been given a phone number that you did not expect or think you were worthy of getting? Way back in the day, there was a desktop (no, I mean a real desk!) there was a device called a Rolodex. Most churches had one and on the many card files were the numbers of church members, so Nellie never stood a chance! I didn't have to ask her for her phone number. It was on the Rolodex! (My girls love this story! NOT!). ha ha. But when I was elected president of a certain board of the annual conference, I got to have the cell phone number of the bishop. Yes, a bishop. Those are not usually shared with many, and I got it because my board dealt with the ministers of the conference and thus my sometimes having to deal with matters the bishop needed to be made aware about. This is what I thought about when I read verse 7, "During the days of Jesus' life on earth, He offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the One Who could save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverent submission." Talk about access! Son of God? Come on! But, you and I have the same access! No call waiting, no voice mail; our prayers go straight through! Jesus, as the true high priest, and again we remember the word priest meaning the "bridge" between God and humanity, so being the high priest for us, we have access to Him and to the Father.
This is what we can take away as spiritual insights from this passage; Direct Access to God: Through Jesus' sacrifice, we can directly and immediately approach God, without needing an intermediary priest. Think of how personal this is for us. More so if we have an intimate personal relationship with God. Whatever difficulties and sufferings that may have come our way, while not pleasant, can be opportunities for our spiritual growth. Through this periods we can learn deeper dependence on God, perseverance, and compassion for others who suffer.
As we study Jesus' life, we see a pattern on which we can follow His example. That Jesus, even as He faced suffering, He set an example for us. We are called to follow Jesus' lead and submit to God's will, trusting in His plan even when we don't understand it.
This passage also helps us understand that we must intercede for others and act as instruments of God's love and grace in the world. Our call is to be servants, faithful and obedient to God. That means we have a lot of work to do, for many are the ones who need our help and our prayers.
PRAYER: Loving God, we thank you for the example of Jesus Christ, who learned obedience through His suffering and became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him. Help us, Lord, to follow His example of reverent submission and trust in Your divine plan for our lives. Give us the strength to endure trials and hardships with faith and perseverance, knowing that You are with us always. May our lives reflect the obedience and love of Christ, bringing glory to Your name. In Jesus' name, we pray, Amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord. YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Learn and share with others that God understands our suffering and can show us the way out. Help others today.
I love you and I thank God for you,
Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.
