Advent Devotionals: Day 5

Great High Priest

Hebrews 4:14–15 -“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.” (NASB)

I like stories. One of my favorite parts of the gift-giving process is the story behind the gift. Whether I am the one giving or receiving, I think a good story makes a good gift even better.
 
I love the moment when my wife opens the gifts I got her for Christmas and I can finally spill on the details. I can tell her how I got her the dress I thought she wanted and wrapped it and put it under the tree but then I overheard her talking to a friend and say she wanted a different one, so I had to sneakily unwrap the one under the tree, exchange it, bring home the right one, and rewrap it, all without her knowing…Yes, that really happened, and it was all worth it because the story made a good gift even better!

I hope we all know what a good gift Jesus is but honestly, I think He’s an even greater gift than we realize. Jesus saved us AND He can also sympathize with us. Our Savior and King came and lived among us. He’s not distant or aloof. He knows the struggles of being a human, the struggles of temptation. He can sympathize with us and yet He is also an example to us because He experienced all that and yet never sinned.
 
Prayer: Thank you, Jesus, for being such an amazing gift! Help me to realize just how amazing You are.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation