14Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. 16Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
I always knew to go to God with my problems or when I stumble, but this passage is significant to me where I am right now. I've been in Sudan for six months or so now, and I've had the time of my life. I've met amazing people, heard amazing stories, and seen amazing things. All along I have known that God is with me, that's never been a question in my mind. I've made decisions that probably weren't the wisest, simply because I had put aside the fact that Christ has experienced life on earth. I had an image in my mind that God would guide me, and he's all knowing, but that some decisions I could make on my own because of the situation I was in. But Christ came to save and redeem us and he did that. But in doing that, he lived a life surrounded by sin. So, as it says in verse 16 we should approach him with confidence, because he's been there. Anything you are struggling with, not only can he help you through it but he's experienced it. That should be so comforting to us. I'm not perfect and never will be, but I can't ever say to God, "you don't understand what I'm going through." Because he does. So for someone all knowing and full of grace who's been there and done that, I need to consult him in decision making more often.
I've enjoyed every minute of being here so far, but it will be nice to get a break next week. I'll fly to Nairobi Kenya on Tuesday and spend a few days there before flying to the U.S. on Friday night. I'm looking forward to coming home for a visit and getting a break. But I will miss certain things here. Parts of the culture and experiences in Sudan have started to become a part of me. Waving at smiling children that I pass on the road is part of my life now, that's not offered in the States. Hearing amazing testimonies of faith are everywhere, but the one's here are special to me. I can't relate to them, but I'm living in the country where they took place. Hardships are different in extremes worldwide. I can't imagine what it would be like to live the way everyone in South Sudan did for nearly 21 years. Some starved to death. Some died of malaria. Some were killed by soldiers. Some died from child birth. Some were random accidents while living on the run. The list could go on an
d on. I can't relate to their situations or even the evil that was spilled out in this country during the conflicts. But Christ can. He's stared that evil in the face and defeated it for us. He was tempted for forty days and forty nights in ways I could never imagine. The Son of man had to endure temptations I'll never know and it's sad from our point of view. But from God's point of view it's perfect. His grace is never ending, He can and does sympathize with our weakness in temptation. He didn't give in as we always do, and that must have been hard as hell. I'm grateful for his strength, and for working out a miracle that his strength would cover my weaknesses. We've got it made from every angle of this thing, but most of us don't even see it.
