The following devotion by Deneen Kloster is reprinted with her permission. Deneen's husband, John, received a very serious cancer diagnosis in October. To follow Deneen's "Sunrise Devotions," go tohttp://www.caringbridge.org/visit/johnkloster. Pray for miracles and God's glory revealed!
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HEBREWS 5:7-9 "During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the One who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him and was designated by God to be High Priest in the order of Melchizedek."
What a model we have in Christ, fully human, fully God, submitting to God's will in all circumstances. He has the full ability to take His cup of suffering (Matt 26:42) and dash it to pieces. Instead, in loving submission, with complete trust and obedience He participates in His Father's perfect plan.
That doesn't mean the fully man Jesus doesn't cry out and shed tears for His own life and that of the people. He is our fully empathetic and feeling Savior who hates sin and death more than we do. He created us and calls us by name. He adopted us as His children of faith. He will not stop interceeding and crying out on our behalf (Heb 7:25).
Lacking faith and fearing the worst is meant to be, I hesitate to fully cry out for myself and my husband. I fear disappointment in the outcome and of appearing to be a disobedient or greedy child, not submitting to the Father's will. I am wrong. I need to follow Jesus' example and fully go to the loving Father with all my loud cries and tears.
In what area of your life are you fearing the worst, so you hesitate to go fully to God for your need...finances, health, broken relationships...will you join me today by following Christ's example as our Perfect High Priest and "approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need" (Heb 4:16)?
