Session 3

Your Best Will Never Be Good Enough

From Hebrews: A 24-Day Devotional

Our culture teaches us that if we want to earn more we have to do more. Want that promotion? Come in early, stay late and help the company grow. Want to see your sports team advance to the next round? Practice more and play harder than the opposing team.

That same attitude often carries over into our spiritual lives. We believe we must do more and sacrifice more to earn God’s love. But even our best works are “filthy rags.” Nothing could bridge the gap between us and God except Jesus’ obedience and sacrifice on our behalf (Isaiah 64:6).

In the Old Testament, only the high priest could enter God’s presence to intercede for his people, and only after providing a sacrifice of blood. The sacrificial system provided a visible reminder of the separation sin places between God and His people. Through gifts and sacrifices, people could be made right with God, but they could not experience His presence. The sacrificial system was a temporary arrangement; ritual was never going to get to the heart of the matter.

God loved us so much that He sent His son, Jesus, and put an end to the separation once and for all. Jesus’ death on the cross paid for our sin. Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, we can experience God’s presence. We don’t have to strive to get God’s attention. Instead of working to make God love us, we do good works because He loves us.

Reflect:

• What is one area of your spiritual life where you struggle with feeling like you’re doing enough?
• Are your actions an overflow of your relationship with Jesus? Or, are you making decisions in an effort to earn something from God?
• Have you ever completely trusted Jesus for your salvation or have you been working to earn God’s love? If you need to trust Jesus for your salvation today, email us at hello@newspring.cc