DAILY READING
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REFLECTION
Who is this Jesus?
by Mary Alice McGinnis
When I was fourteen years old, I went on a weekend retreat at my church. The focus of the retreat was learning to tell others about the Good News of the Gospel. On the first evening, the leader wisely stated that we cannot tell others about something we don’t already know ourselves.
That evening, he sent us home with an assignment. Using the Apostle's Creed as our guide, we were to put write out in our own words how we would explain to someone who knew nothing about God, what Jesus means to us.
This was a turning point in my faith. As I wrote in my journal that evening, the message of who Jesus was, and what He had done for me came alive. My eyes flooded with tears and my heart leapt for joy!
To this day, I never get tired of revisiting, pondering, and reflecting upon the good news of who Jesus is and what He has done for me.
Today’s passage gives me pause to ponder again the glorious revelation of who Jesus really is, and what He means to me.
These first 4 verses of Hebrews prompt us to consider seven unique things about Jesus.
1) Jesus is the heir of all things. God the Father has given ALL things under His dominion. He is God’s unique only Son who owns it all. How does that change how you look at things?
2) Along side God the Father, Jesus is the creator of the entire universe. He is the Master designer of all the wonders of heaven and earth.
3) Jesus is the radiance of God’s Glory. Jesus’ radiance emanates directly from the source – God the Father. His brilliance shines like the rays of sunshine from the sun, not like reflected light of the sun from the moon.
4) Jesus is the exact representation of God’s being. He not only represents God’s being, but He does it perfectly. Unlike us, He perfectly displays God’s character and Glory, from the beginning of time until the end of time.
5) He sustains all things. He is not just passively holding us up, but He is actively supporting and sustaining us. And not just us, but it says ALL THING!! What would change if you really took hold of this truth?
And how does He accomplish this? Simply by the power of His Word! Where did you see evidence of this in Jesus’ life on earth?
6) He made purification for our sins.
Wow! Let that sink in!
This firstborn heir,
the Creator of the universe,
the One who is the radiance of God’s glory, the exact representation of God’s being, who sustains all thing with just His Word –
He is the One who laid down His life for your sins and mine.
7) Now He sits at the right- hand of God. As God the Son, He has the full authority as judge and ruler of all. He would have every right to condemn us. He could have demanded that we fix ourselves, which would have been impossible. But instead, shed His blood to purify us and wash us clean!
Take time to reflect on each of these and see what God reveals to YOU about who Jesus is and what has done for you. Ask yourself, “How do these truths change how I see Jesus? How does He desire to use these truths to transform my heart and soul?”
PRAYER PRACTICE
Lectio – Then spend some time praying and asking God to show you what you need to pay attention to in the text. Read today’s passage through again. Now ask God to help you see what this text, and the part that has stood out, may mean for you. Be ready to really hear from God through His Word. Ask Him to transform your heart and soul by the power of His Holy Spirit.
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