Reflections of Grace
DRAWING NEAR WITH CONFIDENCE
Scripture
Hebrews 10:11-22
11And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.12But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God,13waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet.14For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.15And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying,16“This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,”17then he adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.”18Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.19Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus,20by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh,21and since we have a great priest over the house of God,22let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
Reflect
- 1.In verses 11–12, the writer contrasts the repeated sacrifices of the priests with Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice. How does this strengthen your confidence in what Jesus has accomplished for you?
- 2.Verse 14 says, “By a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.” What does this teach you about your standing before God?
- 3.Believers are invited to “draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith.” What keeps you from drawing near to God, and how does the gospel address those barriers?
Exposition
Many of us know what it feels like to approach God with hesitation. We remember our failures. We feel the weight of repeated sins. We wonder if God is tired of hearing from us. Sometimes, even when we pray, we come as if we are still standing outside, unsure if we are welcome.
gives us hope. The old priests stood day after day, offering sacrifices that could never fully remove sin. Their work was never finished. But Jesus offered himself once for all, and then he sat down. A seated Savior means a finished work. What sin kept reopening, Jesus has dealt with completely.
This is the truth we need when guilt feels louder than grace. Our access to God does not rest on how well we performed today. It rests on the blood of Jesus. The way into God’s presence has been opened, not by our strength, but by his sacrifice. We do not crawl toward God as an unwanted servant but as someone cleansed, welcomed, and loved.
That leads to the invitation of verse 22: “Let us draw near.” Not shrink back. Not hide. Not stay distant. Draw near. The gospel is not merely the good news that your sins are forgiven. It is the good news that you are welcomed into God’s presence. So come near today. Not because you are worthy, but because Christ is.
Prayer
“Father, thank you for opening the way to you through Jesus. Forgive me for the times I live as if I still need to earn your welcome. Help me draw near with honesty, confidence, and faith. Teach me to rest in the finished work of Christ and live in the grace he has secured for me.”
LWNRA · Daily Word