He Knows What It’s Like

Hebrews 4:14-15 (CEB)

Also, let’s hold on to the confession since we have a great high priest who passed through the heavens, who is Jesus, God’s Son; because we don’t have a high priest who can’t sympathize with our weaknesses but instead one who was tempted in every way that we are, except without sin.

God has always known us. After all, he made us, crafted us from dust, breathed life into us, set the world in motion and called it good. As our Creator, God has always understood us better than we understand ourselves.

But there’s a difference between knowing something from the outside and experiencing it from the inside. God knew what it was like to be human. But in Jesus, God became human. Because we couldn’t make our way to God, God came to us.

The writer of Hebrews puts it like this: “We have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, who is Jesus, God’s Son.” And then comes the heart of it: “We don’t have a high priest who can’t sympathize with our weaknesses, but instead one who was tempted in every way that we are, except without sin.”

Jesus didn’t skip over the hard parts. He didn’t float above the pain, immune to hunger or exhaustion or betrayal or grief. He lived it. He felt it.

That matters.

Because sometimes what we need most is not a lecture on the meaning of suffering, but a companion who won’t leave us in the middle of it.

That’s why Jesus means so much more than words can express. He is not just the Son of God. He is the Son of Man. He walked dusty roads, got blisters, cried at funerals, and was abandoned by friends. When he faced temptation, it wasn’t some cosmic formality. It was real. When he suffered, he didn’t get a divine exemption. He felt every lash, every nail, every heartbreak.

The book of Job may be the oldest book in the Bible in terms of when it was written, and it wrestles with one of the oldest human questions: why do good people suffer? Job never got an answer. Maybe that’s because some things are too deep for explanation. But what Job didn’t get, what no one got until Jesus, is presence.

God didn’t just speak out of the whirlwind. He came wrapped in skin and bone and walked among us. Jesus is the final Word, not explaining suffering but entering it with us.

That’s why we can “hold on to the confession” as the Hebrew writer urges us. We don’t hold on to doctrine alone. We hold on to a person who knows what it’s like to be us.

So when you’re hurting, when the questions come with no answers, remember this: You are not alone. You have a high priest who gets it, not just because he’s God, but because he’s been here.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank you for stepping into our world and sharing in our pain. When life overwhelms us and answers fall short, help us remember that you are with us, understanding not just as God, but as one who has walked in our shoes. Strengthen our grip on hope through your presence. Amen.

Today’s devotional was written and read by Donn King.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.