During lockdown we challenged everybody who were spinning at home to do a 100km within a set time. Someone offered to make a big donation to a local soup kitchen for everyone who managed to do this.
I put my hand up and started spinning like mad! Somewhere along the way the meter rolled over and I did not check how many kilometres I had already pedalled. I would only be able to see my distance at the end.
I was so afraid I was doing all that pedalling, but wouldn’t reach the 100 km finish line. When I thought I must have made it, I would go a little bit further. All that uncertainty was very unpleasant.
In the old days, when people had to rely on animal sacrifices to get rid of their sin, they probably were just as uncertain. Have I sacrificed enough to get rid of the guilt for all the sin I had done? Was the cow big enough? Did enough blood flow? Will I get the green light to enter heaven, or will it be a red light?
The uncertainty would’ve driven me mad. It would’ve stolen my joy. It would’ve put a brake on my life.
Jesus came and eliminated all that uncertainty once and for all: 19-20So, friends, we can now-without hesitation-walk right up to God, into “the Holy Place.” Jesus has cleared the way by the blood of his sacrifice, acting as our priest before God.
You and I can know for sure that we will go to heaven. The original Greek word that was used here is parrheÌ„sia, which in English can be translated as boldness. We can now with complete certainty share with anybody who wants to hear where we are going when our life on earth is done. We need not have any bit of uncertainty whether or not we’re going to heaven.
After all the uncertainty of whether or not I’ve made it on the spinning cycle, I actually pedalled almost 15 km further. Which was unnecessary.
Now that we know for sure that Jesus’ death had made it possible for all of us to go to heaven, we need not waste our energy on sacrificing another cow or spilling unnecessary blood.
We can rather use all that energy to show and tell others so that they can also know for sure where they are going. Even if people pretend it’s nothing, even when they say they don’t believe, they do wonder about life hereafter. When they lie alone in bed at night, each caught in their own little corner, the question pops up: What if there IS a God waiting for me when I die?
Let’s help them by showing them how calm we are about life hereafter. Go and talk boldly about your journey that will surely end up on the right road.
Scripture
Hebrews 10:19-25
Reflection
Do you sometimes wonder whether your sins are too much?
How can you get rid of those doubts?
How can you live that?
Prayer
Jesus, thank you that I no longer have to be afraid. Thank you that Your death on the cross was enough even for my sin. Please help me live a redeemed life out there. Amen.
