Author: Brian Burdett

“For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.” – Hebrews 7:26

This is Jesus, your Great High Priest! The eternal Son of God, He is your priest, representative, and intercessor before God the Father. By the sacrifice of His innocent, sinless, perfect life, Jesus made atonement for your sins. He offered His life as a single sacrifice for all of your sins and all the sins of the world. He Himself knew no sin. There was no stain of evil, cruelty, selfishness, or rebellion on Him. But because you’re stained by those things, along with everyone else in this fallen world, Jesus went the cross and suffered God’s righteous wrath for your sins. So you’ll never have to. That is the work your high priest has done for you!

Because Jesus is perfectly holy, separated from sin, He could make that sacrifice. Because He became a human being and endured the temptations of the world with which you’re so familiar, He could take your place. Because He rose from the dead, having defeated sin, death, and the devil, Jesus is now exalted above all creation. He sits at the right hand of God the Father, ruling, reigning, and making intercession for you as your great high priest whenever you fall back into sin. Praise Jesus for Who He is and what He’s done for you. Worship Him as the risen Son of God. Make Him the absolute Lord of your life. Whatever else you do, #FollowJesus

“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” – Mark 10:45

Service and sacrifice are at the heart of what it is to imitate our Master. On this Veterans Day, the anniversary of the end of a war that certainly did not end all wars, we say a heartfelt thank you to all the men and women who have served this nation, their countrymen, and their brothers and sisters in arms. Thank you for your service and the sacrifices involved in that. We are thankful for your service and pray for you!

“‘Yet even now,’ declares the Lord,
‘return to me with all your heart,
with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;’”
– Joel 2:12

Yet even now…. This is Who God is: the Creator of the universe Who yearns for His creatures to turn back to Him in faith and repentance. He is the God of “yet even now”. Our God is always ready for people to turn back to Him. Even when they’ve sinned horribly. Even when they’re embarrassed, ashamed, or humiliated. Even if they think what they’ve done can’t be forgiven or shouldn’t be.

What Jesus did on the cross… taking the sins of the world upon Himself… bearing God’s righteous wrath for all our unrighteous thoughts, words, and actions… that’s what makes “yet even now” possible. As long as you, or another person, draws breath, God is ready to be gracious and merciful, for He is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, faithfulness, righteousness, justice, and holiness.

If you’re feeling broken today… guilty… embarrassed… hopeless… ashamed…. YET EVEN NOW! Trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and return to God, genuinely repenting of whatever it is, confessing whatever must be confessed, and asking God to forgive you and restore you. He will!

If you’re worried about someone you care about, who’s deep in sin, guilt, rebellion, shame, or self-destruction… YET EVEN NOW! Pray for them. Plead with God for their salvation and restoration. Go to them in love and offer them good news. As long as they live, then yet even now, God is ready to forgive them, cleanse them, and love them in Christ Jesus. No matter who they are, what they’ve done, or what they’re tangled up in. Yet even now… #FollowJesus

“For there our captors
required of us songs,
and our tormentors, mirth, saying,
“Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”
How shall we sing the Lord’s song
in a foreign land?”
– Psalm 137:3-4

For the Jews living in exile, it was extraordinarily difficult to sing and praise God as they always had. They were no longer in the promised land. They had been taken to a harsh, pagan nation by a people who had destroyed everything with which they were familiar. Could God be praised from exile? How could they bring themselves to sing joyful songs about the Lord when they were suffering amongst those opposed to Him?

That’s when God sent prophets, like Ezekiel, Jeremiah, and Daniel, to help them understand that He was still with them. That He was still in control over the entire world. That nothing had happened that He didn’t expect or cause. And that He still had a special love and good plan for them. So they learned to praise, worship, and serve the Lord in exile.

This is an important thing for followers of Jesus to learn. The Bible is clear that we, too, are in exile. Heaven is our home and the earth will grow stranger, less comfortable, and more hostile as you more fully follow Jesus, thinking like Him, speaking like Him, and acting like Him. As the Holy Spirit transforms you, it can be difficult to process your feelings about the things you once loved on earth and considered to be tremendously urgent and important. It can become hard to worship when you see and feel how fully the world is in rebellion against its Creator. Worship anyway!

The same things that were true in ancient Babylon are true today, but even better for those who follow Jesus in our modern exile. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are with you here as you represent them in a hostile world. God’s Spirit lives in you. You are in an eternal union with Jesus. And the Father calls you His beloved child. God is still in control and is moving the events of the world toward the glorious conclusion He has shared a glimpse of in Revelation. There’s nothing happening in this world that God is unaware of or not ultimately sovereign over. His love and plans for you are good and precious. And so, you can sing, praise, and worship God in the joy of Jesus Christ. Go ahead… sing the song that’s in your heart today! #FollowJesus

“He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high” – Hebrews 1:3

That’s Jesus! The radiance of God’s eternal and infinite glory. One with, and of the same eternal nature as, the Father. Upholding the entire universe and everything in it by His word and will. At this very moment! Sitting in authority at the right hand of God the Father, having dealt with sin once-and-for-all at the cross through His sacrificial, atoning death and physical resurrection from the dead.

Think on Jesus in all His glory! Go back over these words in your mind, perhaps several times. Picture King Jesus on His throne beside the Father. Picture Him upholding the atoms of your body, and the gravity keeping you from floating away, and the sun that shines by His will, every moment of every day. Rejoice in what Jesus did for you on the cross if you’ve entrusted your life to Him as your Lord and Savior.

Worship Him! Worship Lord Jesus with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. Praise Him, thank Him, delight in Him. If He is your Lord, then He lives in union with you. Delight in that union. Jesus is always with you. Delight in this truth for He will never leave or forsake you. Rejoice that Jesus holds you in His hand and will never throw you away. #FollowJesus