For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.
Devotional Thoughts
By David Wilkerson
Most Christians are familiar with this verse; it tells us that our high priest, Jesus, feels our sufferings right along with us. He is personally touched by our every pain, and the confusion and despair that befalls us. Because we have such a great high priest, we are instructed, “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (4:16). We are told, “Your Savior knows exactly what you are going through and he knows exactly how to minister his grace to you.” When we are in great need, how do we “find grace,” as Hebrews suggests?
When calamity strikes you have a choice: either trust God or blame him. When Job and his wife experienced the tragic loss of their family and the disaster of his physical condition, they chose two completely different reactions. His wife became embittered and charged God foolishly, even urging her husband to “Curse God and die!” (Job 2:9).
Job also grieved deeply and he was in great physical pain, yet he trusted God in the midst of it all. He said, “I don’t understand anything about what is going on, but ‘though He slay me, yet will I trust Him’” (Job 13:15). Job was saying, in effect, “It doesn’t matter if these boils take me to my grave. I’ll go out trusting the Lord and I’ll never give up my confidence that he knows what he’s doing. He has some eternal purpose and I will trust him to my last breath.”
What a great confidence was in Job’s heart! And the magnificent truth is that this same confidence in our loving Father can be ours if we put our trust in him.