Yesterday was sunny as I smoothed the sheets and blankets over the bed. First my side, then my husband’s. And as I fluffed and arranged his pillow, I thought of a woman whose husband recently died after 50+ years of marriage. Thought of her making her bed that morning, and of her lingering over the spot where her beloved once lay just a short time before–gone now, for the rest of her days.
Psalm 45 and Song of Solomon 7 speak to me of love and celebration. One of a king and queen.
10 Listen to me, O royal daughter; take to heart what I say.
Forget your people and your family far away.
11 For your royal husband delights in your beauty;
honor him, for he is your lord. Psalm 45:10-11 NLT
Another of poetic and binding love.
10 I am my lover’s,
and he claims me as his own. Song of Solomon 7:10 NLT
Numbers 9 has celebration–of the second Passover. The passing over of death. God makes a way for everyone to celebrate–from the unclean to the foreign.
He makes that way for us still–we who are unclean and foreign.
24 But because Jesus lives forever, his priesthood lasts forever. 25 Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf.
26 He is the kind of high priest we need because he is holy and blameless, unstained by sin. He has been set apart from sinners and has been given the highest place of honor in heaven. 27 Unlike those other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices every day. They did this for their own sins first and then for the sins of the people. But Jesus did this once for all when he offered himself as the sacrifice for the people’s sins. 28 The law appointed high priests who were limited by human weakness. But after the law was given, God appointed his Son with an oath, and his Son has been made the perfect High Priest forever. Hebrews 7:24-28 NLT.
Jesus, thank you–thank you for interceding on our behalf, for taking our sin to save us from an eternal death. Thank you for love stories, and faithful brothers and sisters. Thank you that you are with us in suffering.
Courtney (66books365)
Sixty-six books in a year 