“He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of power.” (Hebrews 1:3)

New Year. Same God.

He hasn’t changed. He never will.

Christ the Son, who is and always will be the exact imprint of the nature of God Almighty, has the power in himself to hold together the entire universe. All that and also altogether trustworthy and true, fully present and fully engaged. Flawless character and immortal life, he has the capacity to infuse us with a hope that rarely makes sense and a peace that cannot be figured out considering the numbers stacked against us.

The Christmas story we were so recently immersed in, as wonderful and miraculous as it is, only gives a snippet of Christ’s incomparable essence. Hebrews fleshes out the details that, if contemplated, should leave us startled, wondering, amazed.

Christ so graciously bids us welcome to his throne that is one of grace, giving us endlessly what we are incapable of providing for ourselves. We do not need to approach timidly or fearfully since his invitation is to boldly enter his presence to ask for all the mercy and grace that we could possibly need (see Hebrews 4:16).

Christ is our perfect high priest who made “propitiation for the sins of the people” (Hebrews 2:17). In this ancient phrase we discover what is hardly comprehensible – Christ’s sacrifice covers our rebellion and heinous sins stacked against us; He saves us from the wrath of God and reconciles us to the Father. A lifetime of wrapping our minds around this truth and still we are sure to come up short.

Two verses surprise me, as if before now they had been invisible. Hebrews 7:16 reads: “Who has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life.” In Christ is contained the power of an indestructible life. Nothing meek or mild in that!

Verse 25 likewise causes me to celebrate all over again.

“Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.” Imagine that! Our Lord with an indestructible life is able to save to the uttermost! Startling thought that we are allowed and encouraged to draw near to him even though he is so obviously beyond us. He is always about the task of bringing us before the Father, going between us, mediating on our behalf.

New Year! And still our amazing, mind-blowing, unfathomable God is with us as the long haul, the short sprints, the endless track, and the unknown turn peek their faces around the corner.

Elizabeth A Mitchell

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