Torn Curtain

My family and I heard a great sermon this morning by Lon Solomon from McLean Bible Church in Washington D.C. He was talking about the tabernacle during the time of Moses and how there was a thick veil or curtain that separated the Holy of Holies. The High Priest went in once a year to offer atonement for the people of Israel. It was a very sacred place.

Then Jesus came along. When He died on the cross, the curtain in the temple was torn from top to bottom. This act allowed us to have access to the Heavenly Father, without having to have a High Priest to intervene for us. (Well, to some degree - Jesus paid the ultimate price by dying on the cross in our place, allowing Himself to be the High Priest that goes before the throne of God on our account).

Hebrews 4:16 says "Let 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." What a reassurance to be able to have access to the Father, and to know that He cares about our every need. We can boldly approach because of what Jesus has done for us on the cross.

Jesus encouraged us, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30. We so often want to handle things on our own. We forget the importance of taking everything to our Heavenly Father. He knows everything about us. He knows what is best for us. He is just waiting for us to hand our burdens over to Him, because He loves us so much and wants to carry our burdens.

How different would our lives be, if instead of getting upset by a situation, we immediately took it in prayer to our Heavenly Father? Sometimes it takes continual releasing the problem back to him, before we learn to really let go and trust Him with it. I pray that I continue to learn this lesson.