A Prayer about Drawing Near to God

And since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Hebrews 10:21-22

Holy and Merciful God,

It’s easy to pass right over this verse 

without meditating on how astonishing it is 

that you, the holy Creator and King of the universe, 

have called us to draw near to you. 

Like oil and water, sin and holiness don’t mix. 

Like cheap paint on a rusted out car, 

the sacrifices of goats and calves passed quickly away,

leaving the ugly framework of an evil conscience glaring in the sun.

You knew we needed not only a great high priest 

but a lasting sacrifice. 

And you sent Jesus, 

your only Son, your holy Son, 

to keep the law we could never keep. 

You allowed his blood to trickle down 

from the wounds in his nail-scarred hands, 

to wash the bodies of those who would trust in his sacrifice.

And you raised him from the dead, 

bringing him to the heavenly throne next to you,

where he now prays for us. 

It’s truly a bizarre story. 

And yet, it is the only story that calls us 

to “draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith” (Hebrews 10:22).

We are humbled and awed by your goodness to us.

In the name of our great high Priest, Jesus, 

we thank you. Amen.

Read Hebrews 9:11-14; 10:19-25.