DEVOTION – DAY 517

Hebrews 4:15 “Jesus Is Our Great High Priest”

Hebrews 4:15 “For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet He did not sin.”

Jesus Christ is our Great High Priest seated on the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 4:15 tells us that Jesus Christ has been tempted in every way. This means that whatever temptations to sin we have ever experienced have also been experienced by Him. But the big difference is that unlike us, when faced with every temptation known to man, Jesus never fell into sin. Jesus knows what it is like to be tempted, and how powerful are the temptations. Jesus also knows our weaknesses, so we can turn to Him when we are tempted, to ask Him to help us overcome our every temptation to sin. Jesus has the power to help us to turn and flee from temptations to sin. Just as Jesus is victorious over sin, He will help us if we turn to Him in prayer and ask for His help.

A young woman foolishly gave into temptation and had sex with her boyfriend. Soon, she discovered she was pregnant. When she told her boyfriend, he suggested that she had an abortion. She knew she was wrong to have slept with her boyfriend and now, she was being tempted to get rid of her unwanted pregnancy. Her boyfriend was no help to her and instead, he started to distance himself from her. She knew in her heart that it was wrong to have an abortion but she did not know what to do. She could only cry out to the Lord to ask for His forgiveness and help.

She sought the advice of her friends. One of them was a Christian who told her that an abortion was not an option, for it meant killing an innocent life that was growing within her. She was advised to give birth to the baby and if she could not manage it, to offer the baby up for adoption. She knew this was the right thing to do. So, she chose to give birth to the baby and she also chose to raise the baby as a single mother. It was a tough decision to make, but she knew it was the right thing to do. She knew that the Lord would give her the strength to do what was right. Today, her son is a grown man. Looking back, she was glad she obeyed the Lord and resisted the temptation to have an abortion. Her son had given her much joy.

Let us pray: Heavenly Father, thank you for giving us the Lord Jesus as our Great High Priest. Please help us to draw strength from Him to resist and flee from every temptation to sin. We humbly ask in the wonderful name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Questions

  1. What kind of temptations do you face that you need the Lord’s help to flee and resist?
  2. Why is it difficult for you to resist such temptations? How do you struggle with these temptations?
  3. How has the Lord helped you to resist temptations to sin in the past? Share.
  4. How has the Lord Jesus been your Great High Priest in the past? Share.