I'm just rambling...
It’s been an interesting weekend… I woke up early Saturday morning (not by choice) and decided that was okay cause I needed some time with the Lord. I had some questions for Him and decided to use the time to try and figure out some stuff. What’s funny is that I didn’t come out of that time with answers to my questions, but instead a thankful heart. Here’s how it went: “My God, I have a decision to make and I’m not sure what You want me to do. I don’t know what else to do right now, so I’m just gonna spend some time in your Word. Reveal what You will and I’ll go from there.”
I ended up reading through Hebrews (my fave in the NT). Funny how God gives you stuff that doesn’t really answer the question you’re asking, but instead just provides more intimacy with Him. I think I knew this already on some level, but God was really teaching me about what freedom means. See before Christ, worshippers of God didn’t have access to Him. I mean they did in the sense that we have the examples of Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Etc. But in general (according to the law) only one person could actually enter the place where God resided (holy of holies). In fact, that person could only enter once a year and many things had to take place for him to be able to do so. In my reading of Hebrews I saw how the author was trying to communicate that these restrictions in our access to the one true God no longer applied. It showed how Christ’s sacrifice on the cross allowed unlimited access to God. There was no longer a need for animal sacrifice… no longer a need for a high priest other than Christ.
This got me thinking about something. Just a couple of weeks ago I ordered my class ring. I wanted the inscription on the inside to read “Yahweh yireh”. The dude who was placing my order wanted to know if I or my boyfriend were Jewish based on this choice. I explained to him my reasons but I realize now that if he knew anything about being an orthodox Jew, he’d know that if I had been Jewish I wouldn’t have the freedom to inscribe the name of God on my ring. If that makes no sense, check out the limitations of being an orthodox Jew. This is leading somewhere…
Strangely, this event gave me cause to be thankful that I have access to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob… the only God of the universe. I am not restricted by sacrifices and rules to enter into His presence. Jesus has provided a way (through His life and willing sacrifice) for me to have a personal relationship with the perfect, righteous, holy and just God. I don’t have to depend on a human priest or animal sacrifices. I don’t have to have a “distant” relationship with Him where I give what I have in the hope that He is satisfied with that. Because of what Christ did on the cross, I can just… talk to Him. I have the ability to enter into His presence any time I want.
I have read over and over about my freedom as a Christian. To me that meant, freedom from the bondage of sin and the certainty of death and judgment. While that’s true for sure, it’s so much more than that. Because of what Jesus chose to do on the cross, I have the freedom to have an unlimited, personal relationship with God. Because of Christ I no longer need a mediator. He lives to make intercession for me. His choice; His sacrifice put an end to all of that once and for all. I sit in a position where I can just decide, “I’m gonna hang out with God today”. Lord please forgive me for not doing it more often...
I walked away from that time just being thankful. Why? Because I don’t need to offer to the Lord what He requires for my sins. I don’t have to follow some set of rules to enter into His presence. I have full access to Him every second of every day. He knew that I wasn’t capable of earning a way to re-connect with Him, so He provided it. He loves me so much that He made a way for me to have an unrestricted relationship with Him.
This is a new definition of freedom for me. I’m saved, justified, sanctified and am free from the fear of death. But more than that, I’m free to have access to God in way that was inconceivable to the Jews (God’s chosen people). I can wake up in the morning and decide, “I think I wanna hang out with God today”. Wow.
I ended up reading through Hebrews (my fave in the NT). Funny how God gives you stuff that doesn’t really answer the question you’re asking, but instead just provides more intimacy with Him. I think I knew this already on some level, but God was really teaching me about what freedom means. See before Christ, worshippers of God didn’t have access to Him. I mean they did in the sense that we have the examples of Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Etc. But in general (according to the law) only one person could actually enter the place where God resided (holy of holies). In fact, that person could only enter once a year and many things had to take place for him to be able to do so. In my reading of Hebrews I saw how the author was trying to communicate that these restrictions in our access to the one true God no longer applied. It showed how Christ’s sacrifice on the cross allowed unlimited access to God. There was no longer a need for animal sacrifice… no longer a need for a high priest other than Christ.
This got me thinking about something. Just a couple of weeks ago I ordered my class ring. I wanted the inscription on the inside to read “Yahweh yireh”. The dude who was placing my order wanted to know if I or my boyfriend were Jewish based on this choice. I explained to him my reasons but I realize now that if he knew anything about being an orthodox Jew, he’d know that if I had been Jewish I wouldn’t have the freedom to inscribe the name of God on my ring. If that makes no sense, check out the limitations of being an orthodox Jew. This is leading somewhere…
Strangely, this event gave me cause to be thankful that I have access to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob… the only God of the universe. I am not restricted by sacrifices and rules to enter into His presence. Jesus has provided a way (through His life and willing sacrifice) for me to have a personal relationship with the perfect, righteous, holy and just God. I don’t have to depend on a human priest or animal sacrifices. I don’t have to have a “distant” relationship with Him where I give what I have in the hope that He is satisfied with that. Because of what Christ did on the cross, I can just… talk to Him. I have the ability to enter into His presence any time I want.
I have read over and over about my freedom as a Christian. To me that meant, freedom from the bondage of sin and the certainty of death and judgment. While that’s true for sure, it’s so much more than that. Because of what Jesus chose to do on the cross, I have the freedom to have an unlimited, personal relationship with God. Because of Christ I no longer need a mediator. He lives to make intercession for me. His choice; His sacrifice put an end to all of that once and for all. I sit in a position where I can just decide, “I’m gonna hang out with God today”. Lord please forgive me for not doing it more often...
I walked away from that time just being thankful. Why? Because I don’t need to offer to the Lord what He requires for my sins. I don’t have to follow some set of rules to enter into His presence. I have full access to Him every second of every day. He knew that I wasn’t capable of earning a way to re-connect with Him, so He provided it. He loves me so much that He made a way for me to have an unrestricted relationship with Him.
This is a new definition of freedom for me. I’m saved, justified, sanctified and am free from the fear of death. But more than that, I’m free to have access to God in way that was inconceivable to the Jews (God’s chosen people). I can wake up in the morning and decide, “I think I wanna hang out with God today”. Wow.
posted by April @ 2:06 AM
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