Once and for all

Hebrews 10:11:14 (NIV)
11 Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.
12 But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God.
13 Since that time He waits for his enemies to be made His footstool,
14 because by one sacrifice He has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.

Good morning!

Have you ever taken time to reflect on how you spend the minutes of your day? Our lives are busy and full, marked by daily routines, schedules to follow and commitments to honor. Every morning, I wake up at approximately the same time. I spend the first couple of hours praying, reading, and writing. I put a pot of tea on, hard boil a couple of eggs, and hop in the shower. I eat on-the-run, hoping traffic will be light as I travel to work. I spend the next 8-10 hours focusing on the needs of my employer, and the work I have to do. I try to take an hour in the middle of the day to unplug and refresh. A brisk walk around the block and a healthy lunch gives me the energy to continue with my day. When I leave the office, the sun has set and it is dark outside. This makes the commute back home a little longer. My week night evenings are filled with family, school work, classes, and church functions. I fall into bed at approximately the same time every night, looking forward to a good night’s rest so I can get up and start all over again. How do you spend your day? Can you see a repetitive pattern in the life you live?

I love a clean house. Unfortunately, I don’t have a lot of time to clean. Isn’t it mysterious how we can spend an hour dusting furniture and vacuuming the floors, only to find the dust has returned within a few hours? It does not matter how many times we pick up the dust mop, we can be sure that the dust will return within a very short period of time. Wouldn’t it be great to do the job one time, and it would be finished, once and for all?

The writer of Hebrews observed the priests, as they went about their daily repetitive worship. Day after day, they performed the same sacrifices, said the same prayers, and carried out their daily religious duties. What have they accomplished? Did the sins of the people disappear? Did their consistent acts of worship absolve them from the mistakes they make each day? Like the dust that settles shortly after you've mopped, their sin remained. When Jesus, the great high priest, offered His life as a sacrifice for the sins of all men, the hard work was finished, once and for all. It is only through Christ's blood that we could be completely cleansed, once and for all.

There is nothing wrong with keeping to a schedule. It is a good thing to have a check list, so that we can see where we’ve been, what we are doing, and where we are headed. Humans tend to function better within the rhythm of consistency. No matter how hard we work or how much time we spend in study, prayer, and service, there is nothing we can do to earn God’s grace and forgiveness. Jesus took care of that for us on the cross, once and for all, and we can thank Him daily for His undeserved favor. It makes my day worth living. Every morning I rejoice in His amazing love, and the relationship that He brings into my life. He gives me the desire and drive to get out there and do the work He has placed in my hands. I know that His ultimate work is accomplished. Getting the good news out is imperative.

Won’t you take a little time each day to love, thank and praise the one who saved your life for all eternity? Don’t forget to share your joy with all your friends and neighbors: Christ died for you and for me, and because He lives, we can face this day and every tomorrow in the light of His love.

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

Pray for: strength to do the things you are called to do each day, knowing that the hard work is finished, once and for all. Jesus gave up His life for us and we can now live in relationship with Him forever and ever. Wake up and enjoy your day, for you have been redeemed!

© Copyright 2006, Deb Spaulding
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