Focus

Experience silence in the midst of your busy day. Take some time to relax into a time to be with God.

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Read

Hebrews 10:1-4 (NRSV)

Since the law has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered year after year, make perfect those who approach. Otherwise, would they not have ceased being offered, since the worshipers, cleansed once for all, would no longer have any consciousness of sin? But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sin year after year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

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Reflect

How can human beings overcome their separation from God? The cause of our separation, sin against God, began with the first humans, who early on decided that offering sacrifices to God would bring about their restoration. (See Genesis 3, 4:3-7.) People thought they could save themselves, but their sacrifices didn’t achieve reunion with God.

When God delivered the Israelites from Egyptian bondage, a complicated system of annual sacrifices was established. Those sacrifices cost people their finest animals and crops, but did nothing to save them from sin.

Hardly anyone understood that only God, the one who is wronged by sin, can erase sin and bring about reconciliation. God took action to forgive humanity in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Hence there is no longer need for our sacrifices. For “the blood of bulls and goats cannot take away sins” (Hebrews 10:4, CEV).

The Letter to the Hebrews is all about Jesus’ “once for all” sacrifice for the sins of all humans. But still we are tempted to think that we can redeem ourselves when only God can save us.

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Pray

Loving God, who desires to redeem us from every sin, help us to confess our tendency to try to save ourselves. Grant that we will trust you for our salvation and the redemption of humans everywhere. Amen.

Go with God.