September 19 | Hebrews 2:16-17

Jennifer Jerrome
Sep 18
2 min read

DAILY READING

REFLECTION

To Be Known

By Jennifer Jerrome

“I know how you feel.”

How many times has someone said this to you during a conversation? The other person is trying to put themselves in your shoes. They may relate to your situation, but do they truly know how you feel?

The truth is no one can ever experience things the same way you do. We each have our own specific set of circumstances that color how we view and encounter the world around us.

There can be some comfort in knowing you’re not alone, but no one knows you better than yourself, right?

Wait, I don’t even know myself half the time. So, who does? I bet you can guess… God knows all and understands better than anyone what we’re going through. How much more comforting is it to hear “I know how you feel” from Him.

I think the words hit a little different coming from a God who became human. If God never took on flesh, would they mean the same? Could we really believe that he understands what it means to be me?

That’s a hard question to answer because in my lifetime, I’ve known God in the form of Jesus. I’ve known the God who’s felt what I’ve felt in very tangible ways. Would it be harder for me to believe in a God who never stepped foot on Earth?

Jesus came for the people. The letter to the Hebrews is driving this message home. He came to live among us. To become one of us in order to save us. God needed to become human, and we are so very grateful that he did.

Putting on flesh meant putting on joy and also sorrow; pain but also healing. He laughed and he cried with his disciples. He knew how they felt on a cellular level. He bore it all and thank goodness he did. For we are saved by knowing him.

PRAYER

Father,

There are not enough words to thank you for becoming fully human and for inviting us into a personal relationship with you in all your forms, most especially Jesus. It is through Him we are saved. It is through Him we are fully understood. And what a difference it makes to be completely known by the one who knows us better than we know ourselves. Amen

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

JENNIFER JERROME

I have known I was a child of God from the beginning. I was baptized and raised in the Catholic church and began attending UALC about 18 years ago when my husband I were searching for a place to worship and serve as a family. UALC has helped shape our faith over the years. We have been through several seasons of life and the constant has been our faith and family.