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. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (NIV)

Man does not live on bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. I repeated these words of Jesus my entire drive home from work, my stomach growling aggressively beneath my coat. I had committed to fasting alongside some others, but I was struggling. Hunger gnawed at my insides, making it hard to think about anything else.  

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I opened my fridge and stared at the leftovers lining the shelves. Finally, I closed it and sat down with my Bible and journal. A tricky dynamic waged war in my mind: Did I hold steady with my fast to practice the discipline of relying on God when my body and circumstances fell short - as they always do? Or, did I break my fast, falling into the arms of God's grace with gratitude for how he covers me, even when I am weak?  

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And this is what Jesus pressed on my heart: at that moment, for me, what I did or didn't do... it just didn't really matter. What mattered more was what God was doing in me through this moment. Was I paying attention to that? Or was I too distracted by myself to notice how HE wanted to transform me through whatever I was doing? To eat or not to eat...that was actually not the question! A better question was this: God, what are YOU doing right now?

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Our passage today invites the same shift of perspective. It says, "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. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."

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When I focus on what I'm doing in relation to this passage, I find two significant truths, for sure: 1) Jesus can relate to me in my weak moments; he gets it because he's been there. 2) I can draw near to God because of grace, and he will help me when I'm in need.  

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These are both true. In fact, I considered both as I struggled in front of my fridge that day. When we focus on what God is doing, though, this passage reveals a truth far more foundational: Jesus didn't just cover my sin to help me out when I'm struggling, his work completely transformed how God relates to his people. Instead of focusing on God helping me, I'm invited to consider how God has made a way for our relationship to be entirely restored.

Pastor Britt said the other day that our relationship with God isn't transactional, it's transformative. God is so much more interested in working in you than he is in any work you will ever do, even when it is good work.  

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This week we're considering how the forgiveness we have in Christ makes restoration in our relationship with God possible. And as we begin, let's remember that this work of restoration isn't found in any action WE will ever do. Practices like fasting, prayer, and being in the Word are so important and good, and God will use them powerfully in our lives to draw us closer to him, to restore and rebuild our relationship with him and those around us. But don't mistake the action of the discipline for the transformation God's looking to do in your heart through it.  

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Have you, like I did that day with fasting, fallen into the trap of assuming your spiritual practices will do the work of transforming you? Or are you allowing the practices to direct your attention more and more toward Jesus? Whatever you do today, in your own life or as you interact with others, ask God to show you how HE wants to use this work to restore closeness and relationship with him.

God, thank you for who you are and for the absolute gift of the cross, which brought us back into your throne room! Draw me into your presence today, pushing aside all the muck of my own successes and failures that I get so easily bogged down in. Remind me to train my eyes on you alone and teach me to notice more and more the ways you're working in and through me to your glory. In Jesus' name, amen.