Monday, March 26, 2012

Monday’s Devotion: I Just Can’t Yell People into Heaven

Hebrews 4:14-16 So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe.  This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin.  So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

In the past few weeks, I’ve had more than one person relate experiences they had growing up in other churches where they would leave services feeling dragged down, beat up and headed straight for Hades.  I wondered if the preachers were that passionate about “saving” people or simply not theologically educated enough to explore all the messages of the bible.  I myself grew up thinking that I could never be “good enough” to get into heaven because no one taught me the concept of grace. I’m not advocating that we sin our lives away confident that God will forgive us just for the asking.  What I’m advocating is the need to bring people into a relationship with God.  When that happens, God changes our lives by changing our priorities.  That is the best way to save a person.  It works a whole lot better to tell them about a loving God than a wrathful one.  Jesus is in Heaven at the right hand of his Father, interceding for us.  God loves us and wants the best for us.  God isn’t telling Satan to stoke up the fires of Hades because we are wanton sinners headed that direction.  God is calling us to love him back so he can help us overcome temptation just as his own Son once did. 

Heavenly Father, Thank you for loving us and continuing to have hope in humankind when we sometimes fail over and over to follow the example of Christ.  Help us to overcome temptations that lead us away from you.  Fill us with your guiding Spirit and help us to walk the right path, the one that leads to eternal life both now and forever more.  We ask in Christ’s name.  Amen.

No comments:

Post a Comment