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Jeremiah 31:31-34
Hebrews 5:5-10
Today's readings raise a few questions right away. Like--what is the new covenant really all about? What is true faith? And who is Melchizedek? Well, the last one is probably the easiest one to answer.
Melchizedek was the king of Salem in Abraham's day--the high priest. Abraham came to him for a blessing that ended up resembling what we now know as communion. They broke bread and drank wine together. It seems almost like a forecasting to what is to come.
As we have been preparing our hearts, we may have been taking some time to truly look in the mirror. It may have taken some courage to look deeply into our own lives and examine what is there. It is very different than actually looking into a mirror at your reflection. That really only shows you the opposite of what others see when they look at you. To really see your full self, you need two mirrors, right? One to see the front and one to see the back. Or maybe you just get somebody else to look at your back. But if that is your approach, it better be somebody that you trust! You don't want them to take a quick look and say it looks fine if your hair is doing something strange back there!!
As you are examining your life, you really need a friend you trust to help you see yourself completely. And that is what God is---the one that loves you enough to tell you about the flaws. But shouldn't we be afraid of God? Doesn't it say in the Bible, "Fear the Lord, your God!!" Well, yes, but the Hebrew word that we translate as fear really means something more like "be in awe". So, we should be in awe of our God. And when you are in awe, then you will truly be ready to listen to what He may convey to you during this soul search. You can be secure as you look deep and challenge yourself. It can give you courage when you look at what you believe and ask yourself questions like---Can I stand up and share what I believe? Can I do the things that I think God is asking me to do?
God's original covenant was with the Hebrew people. God told the Hebrews that He would be their God and they would be His people. He offers the same to us in the new covenant. To be one of His people is to commune with others that are His people. This is what Melchizedek and Abraham were doing--communing. To make it sound less complicated--they were communicating. Communicating about what? Their beliefs, their faith. Melchizedek prayed for and with Abraham special prayers of supplication. Abraham asked him for those prayers, knowing the power of an intercessor. That is what is it to be of the same rank as Melchizedek--to be able to share your beliefs and your faith in truth and to pray for others. That is what Jesus came to do. He is still being our intercessor today.
It seems easier to pray for others than to pray for ourselves sometimes, doesn't it? We don't have to be emotionally involved when we pray for others. We can be objective and seemingly wise in our intercessory prayers. We can easily accept God's will in their situation.
But praying for ourselves is harder, especially when it involves our relationship with God. I mean, that can involve talking to God about our sins. You know, those things that we do that separate us from God. Think about the times you have truly looked at your life. You looked back on your successes--and your failures; your trophies---and your missed opportunities; your perfections---and your flaws. Imagine doing that with God. Know what He sees? He sees it all, from every angle.
And He knows why you did the things you've done. He knows every part of every circumstance--the good, the bad, and the ugly. And know what? Listen closely.......
He loves you anyway!!! The Whole Package!! All of you!!! Really!!!
Amazing, isn't it? And there's more.....Jesus felt the same way you do about this self-examination business. Remember his behavior in the temple? The turning over of the money-changers' tables? Remember his prayer in the garden before he was betrayed? He was having a real heart-to-heart with God there! He prayed about the things he had done! He prayed about his feelings of separation! He asked if the plan could be changed! He talked to God and looked over every side of the situation until he reached that point of reverent submission--that point that we must all reach in order to free ourselves from the emotion of it all. That point is when we "let go, and let God!"
And that point is when you begin to be able to look around you and see the fingerprints of God throughout your day. Hey--I guess fingerprints on your mirror isn't so bad after all, is it? (Don't tell Mom I said that!!)
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