Hebrews 4:14-16
“Now that we know what we have—Jesus, this great High Priest with ready access to God—let’s not let it slip through our fingers. We don’t have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He’s been through weakness and testing, experienced it all—all but the sin. So let’s walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help.”
“So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of our understands our weaknesses, for faced all of the same testings we do yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.”
Eating has entirely too much focus in my life. It has become idolatrous. It is easy to think of Jesus resisting sexual sin, pride, or self-interest. But gluttony? According to this verse in Hebrews the answer is yes indeed. He understands the siren call of a flavor. He knows the longing for comfort I choose to get from food instead of him.
Believers are called to walk right up to the Creator and accept the help he offers. Absurd. Yet this is the transaction he calls us to, his grace for our sins. It is ultimate reality, the world a mere shadow. For every human, all of creation and time comes down to this one bold exchange of eternal consequence.
Lord, I sense the hold of food weakening in me, but I am still in its power. Thank you for this small victory. Please set me free from this sin’s remaining bondage. Give me the desire and courage to walk right up to you and take the help you freely offer.