Stripping Away to Draw Near
Leviticus 16:1-4
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered before the LORD, and died; 2 And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat. 3 Thus shall Aaron come into the holy place: with a young bullock for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering. 4 He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, and with the linen mitre shall he be attired: these are holy garments; therefore shall he wash his flesh in water, and so put them on.
Hebrews 4:14-16
14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Thoughts:
The high priest's ritual of removing his ornamental garments before entering the Holy of Holies teaches us a profound lesson about approaching God. It reminds us that we come before God not based on our accomplishments, status, or good works, but in humility and dependency on His grace.
Consider what "garments" you might need to strip away to draw closer to God. It could be pride in your abilities, reliance on your own strength, or the mask of having it all together. Remember, we have a high priest in Jesus who sympathizes with our weaknesses. We can approach God's throne with confidence, not because of our own merit or goodness, but because of Christ's work on our behalf.
Prayer:
Write down three things you tend to rely on instead of God. Pray over each one, asking God to help you trust Him more in these areas and to give you the strength to lay them down.
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered before the LORD, and died; 2 And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat. 3 Thus shall Aaron come into the holy place: with a young bullock for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering. 4 He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, and with the linen mitre shall he be attired: these are holy garments; therefore shall he wash his flesh in water, and so put them on.
Hebrews 4:14-16
14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Thoughts:
The high priest's ritual of removing his ornamental garments before entering the Holy of Holies teaches us a profound lesson about approaching God. It reminds us that we come before God not based on our accomplishments, status, or good works, but in humility and dependency on His grace.
Consider what "garments" you might need to strip away to draw closer to God. It could be pride in your abilities, reliance on your own strength, or the mask of having it all together. Remember, we have a high priest in Jesus who sympathizes with our weaknesses. We can approach God's throne with confidence, not because of our own merit or goodness, but because of Christ's work on our behalf.
Prayer:
Write down three things you tend to rely on instead of God. Pray over each one, asking God to help you trust Him more in these areas and to give you the strength to lay them down.
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