Jesus, Your Merciful Helper

Before you start todays devotional, ask the Lord to use it to grow you up in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

All of Hebrews is an invitation to an experience of spiritual rest—a stress-free relationship with God through Jesus. Doesn’t that sound amazing?

The God who created you and made a way for your salvation is a God of rest. He invented rest—even He rested when He finished creating the universe.

What would keep you from experiencing that kind of life with God? Unbelief. When you don’t believe God’s Word, you wind up expending unnecessary energy and effort to gain a genuine sense of purpose and meaning. God promises to supply all of that freely and generously to anyone who trusts His Son and believes His promises.

Because we are all human and in such need of God’s goodness, we do need someone to intercede for us—a priest. We need someone to point us to and provide us with access to God. Under the Old Testament system, that access was granted through the high priestly system of continual sacrifices and the shedding of the blood of animals for the sins of people.

But now Jesus serves as your perfect and only able High Priest forever, because He has entered heaven and intercedes for you perfectly.

Not only that, but you have a High Priest who is always available and will never shrink back from coming to your aid. His willingness to help you is realized when you go to Him in prayer and ask Him for everything you need. And because He loves doing it and has unlimited power to unleash for you, He invites you to come with confidence.

In other words, you can speak freely to Jesus when you need Him. You can share matters with Him that may be too personal or intimate to share with others. He understands you. He knows your weaknesses, your fears, and your hang-ups, and He has promised not to hold those things against you when you pray.

What Jesus promises in return for your requests made in faith is an ample supply of mercy and divine, supernatural assistance. If honest, you would surely admit your need for mercy, too. We all need mercy. And it is available in endless supply at the throne of grace. Jesus promises that to you as your eternal High Priest. But Jesus also promises to help you. To undertake for you in your need. Help is a very positive thing—it speaks of the future. You may obtain mercy and find grace to help in your time of need is Jesus’ promise. Everything you need in this life and eternally is found in Him.

By the way, have you turned to Him yet today? You still have time. Let Jesus your High Priest hear your voice. Tell Him you love Him. Confess your sins to Him. He already knows everything, but He longs to have time with you. Push pause on your day—turn everything off and go to Him in prayer. He will be merciful. And He will listen carefully and without distraction. He will help you. That’s His promise to you. Go ahead. You can trust Him.

1. Rest may not be a value in the culture where you live, but it is something on which God places great importance. What are some ways you can better follow the Bible’s example and teaching of being intentional about rest?

2. God’s Word can only examine our hearts if we expose our hearts to it. What are some ways, other than just reading, that you can expose your heart to the Word of God?

3. Jesus’ work as High Priest means that God is now available to us. If you have trusted in His sacrifice, you have access to God. Are you using this access? What are some things for which you should use this access?

Additional Resources:

Listen to Dr. J. Vernon McGee's complete teachings of Hebrews 3:16-4:8, Hebrews 4:9-13, Hebrews 4:14-16.