“In the past God spoke to our forefathers
through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days
he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and
through whom he made the universe. The
Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being,
sustaining all things by his powerful word.
After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right
hand of the Majesty in heaven.” (Hebrews
1:1-3)
I had occasion to need to be in
contact with “customer service” for an organization I was doing business
with. I don’t know what your experiences
have been, but it seems to me that the term customer service has almost become an
oxymoron, (a term of opposites used together for effect). While my concern was eventually dealt with by
a human, the aggravation I had to go through to get to a human left my blood
pressure rising. This is such a contrast
for me as my years in my previous vocation in the grocery business, customer
services was drilled into us as employees.
You want to talk to someone who not only has the knowledge and ability
to handle your concerns, but has the compassion and interest to deal with you
in a kind manner.
I’m glad that when it comes to our
faith, when it comes to the most important issues of life, we have a kind,
compassionate heavenly Father who loves us and is interested in us
individually. We don’t talk to a computer
voice that doesn’t understand us. We
don’t have to go through several people, none of which can help us, until we
finally get so frustrated that we give up.
Nor do we have to wait “on hold” until the “next available customer
service” person can take our call.
We are able to go to the Father,
through the Son, who is the “exact
representation of his being,” who is “sustaining
all things by his powerful word.” In
chapter two of this same book, the writer tells us that “Jesus is not ashamed to call us brothers.” And in the closing verses of chapter 2, “For this reason, he had to be made like his
brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful
high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of
the people. Because he himself suffered
when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”
He knows what we go through. In 4:15 it says, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our
weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we
are—yet was without sin.” He was
tempted with the same things we are tempted with. He knows the struggle. Not only that, but He is able to lend us His
strength to make it through the tough times.
So then, “Let us then approach the
throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to
help us in our time of need.”
By His Grace
Alone,
Pastor Bruce
Jacobsen
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