Confidence

Heb. 10:19

“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus…”

Confidence. 

Confidence is an attribute that is highly valued in our society.  Confidence inspires trust and admiration.  People with confidence are more successful in life, commerce and education.    Confident people make leaders and often command respect when they enter the room.  They know they’ve got it and make us believe it too!

And yet, confidence is something that most of us struggle with at one time or another.  People with low self-esteem plod through life as shrinking violets, hiding behind others, avoiding positions that intimidate them and put them out front.  In conversation they are retiring and evasive, giving non-committal answers.  A person lacking in confidence answers a questions with a question. 

This passage tells us we can be confident in His Presence.

This one truth is enough to leave us speechless for a month if we truly grasped it.  We do not fully understand how holy God is.  We don’t conceive with our minds how separated we are from him just by the smallest white lie, the smallest compromise, by our inherent sin nature.  He is completely and altogether pure, righteous, holy, and blameless.  He cannot be in the presence of sin.  But because the finished work of Christ occurred, we have the opportunity to be granted righteousness.

 In the Old Testament, on the Day of Atonement, the priest would wash his body with water, he would sacrifice a bull for his own sin and then and only then, with fear and trembling would he enter into the Most Holy Place.  He knew without preparing himself, and offering the appropriate sacrifices, that he faced certain death behind the curtain. 

On that day when Jesus offered himself, the pure, spotless Lamb of God, as an atoning sacrifice for our sin, he paid the price once and for all.  He did not have to schedule to come back in one year.  As He said on the cross, “It is finished.” (John 19:30) The sacrifice was complete and it was 100% acceptable in the eyes of a 100% Holy God and Righteous Judge.  With His body and with His own precious blood he rent the veil in two. 

Can you imagine on the day that this occurred what people must have thought who were standing in the temple, and suddenly they could see what was behind the veil?  The great mystery was laid bare for all to see.  Before, only one person had the right to go in.  Even if you were from the right tribe, your likelihood of being the high priest was very small.  It was a very elite honor, but now, thanks be to God for his infinite gift of Christ, we can enter the most Holy Place!

Dear Lord, thank you for paying the price for me that I can have confidence in Your Presence and can freely come before you.  Boldly and without fear.  Help me to not take the privilege lightly and help me to use the privilege often. In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

Sherri