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Octavius Winslow, 1856 (edited for
today's reader by Larry E. Wilson, 2010)
Bible Verse
"For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf" (Heb. 9:24).
Devotional
Is it a privilege to have a Christian friend bear you upon his affectionate and believing prayers? Ah, yes! The intercessions of the Lord's people on your behalf are precious channels of heavenly blessing.
But there is a Friend still closer to the Fountain of mercy than your dearest earthly friend. There is a Friend still nearer and dearer to the Father than your closest earthly friend. It is Jesus, who always lives to make intercession for those who draw near to God by him (Heb. 7:25).
Oh, how precious is his declaration upon which you may calmly and confidently rest in any attack, or trial, or perplexity, "I have prayed for you" (Luke 22:32)! Yes, even when you cannot pray for yourself—whether from confusion of thought, or pain of body, or whatever—even when no friend is near to act as your mouth to God, there is still One, the Friend of friends, the ever-skillful Advocate and never-weary Intercessor—no praying saint nor interceding angel, but the Son of God himself who always appears in the presence of God moment by moment for you.
Oh then, keep the eye of your faith immovably fixed upon Christ's mediation. He intercedes for weak faith. He intercedes for tried faith. He intercedes for tempted faith. Yes, he intercedes even for him who thinks he has no faith. There is not a single believer whom he does not bear upon his heart, and whose prayers and needs he does not present in his ceaseless intercession.
When you deem yourself neglected and forgotten, a praying Savior in heaven is thinking of you. When you are tried and cast down, tempted to stumble, the interceding High Priest is at that moment within the Holy of Holies, asking on your behalf strength, consolation, and upholding grace. And when sin has wounded, when guilt distresses, when unbelief beclouds, who is it who stands in the breach, who makes intercession, who removes the darkness, and who brings back the smile of a forgiving Father? The Lord Jesus, the ever-interceding Savior.
Oh, look up, tried and assaulted believer! You have a Friend at court. You have an Advocate in the judicatory of heaven. You have an Intercessor curtained within the Holy of Holies, transacting all your concerns, and through whom you may have access to God with boldness.
Arise, my soul, arise,
shake off thy guilty fears:
the bleeding Sacrifice
in my behalf appears.
Before the Throne my Surety stands,
before the Throne my Surety stands,
my name is written on his hands.
He ever lives above,
for me to intercede,
his all-redeeming love,
his precious blood to plead.
His blood atoned for ev'ry race,
his blood atoned for ev'ry race,
and sprinkles now the throne of grace.
Five bleeding wounds he bears,
received on Calvary;
they pour effectual prayers,
they strongly plead for me.;
"Forgive him, O forgive, they cry,
forgive him, O forgive, they cry,
nor let that ransomed sinner die!"
The Father hears him pray,
his dear Anointed One;
he will not turn away
the pleading of his Son;
his Spirit answers to the blood,
his Spirit answers to the blood,
and tells me I am born of God.
My God is reconciled;
his pard'ning voice I hear;
he owns me for his child,
I can no longer fear.
With confidence I now draw nigh,
with confidence I now draw nigh,
and "Father, Abba, Father!" cry.
(Charles Wesley, 1742; alt. LEW, 2006)
Be sure to read the Preface by Octavius Winslow and A Note from the Editor by Larry E. Wilson.
Larry Wilson is an ordained minister in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. In addition to having served as the General Secretary of the Committee on Christian Education of the OPC (2000–2004) and having written a number of articles and booklets (such as God's Words for Worship and Why Does the OPC Baptize Infants) for New Horizons and elsewhere, he has pastored OPC churches in Minnesota, Indiana, and Ohio. We are grateful to him for his editing of Morning Thoughts, the OPC Daily Devotional for 2011.
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