I was thinking just recently, Father, how truly blessed I am. You have so generously poured Your blessings over me – work, church, home, Karen, family and on and on and on. I love that You and I are close and that You are but a thought away. Thank You, Father, for being You!
Matthew 27:45-56 (<<click to read the passage)
One of the biggest challenges we have in our relationships is barriers. Some we put up intentionally. Others are just a part of who we are. Many of us have been hurt, so we’ve shrouded ourselves with a layer of insulation in the attempt to avoid getting hurt again.
And it is a struggle, even in the best of relationships, to get past those barriers. Some we are never successful in overcoming – they are just too high and wide and thick and so deeply buried. Many go to their graves and have denied themselves the many-faceted wonders of true, deep love because barriers in their lives have overwhelmed them – they have been buried by them.
If we can think of an example of that type of barrier in our lives and then multiply that a million times over, we might get just a glimpse of the barrier that was between us and God. No matter how hard we try we cannot rid ourselves of the curse of division. We cannot do it…but Jesus did!
45 At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. 46 At about three o’clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”
50 Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit. 51 At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. vs. 45,46,50,51
The curtain separating the Holy Place (in the Temple) [where only the priests could enter) and the Most Holy Place (where only the high priest could enter, and only once a year, to atone for the sins of the nation) was torn in two at Christ’s death, symbolizing that the barrier between God and humanity was removed. Now all people are free to approach God because of Christ’s sacrifice for our sins.*
Thank you, Lord Jesus, the barrier is gone!
*Life Application Study Bible New Living Translation
Dec 13th, 2018, Thurs, 8:16 pm
