Student accommodation can be an issue around this time of year. Getting somewhere half decent for our families to live safely while they study is important.
Often Mum and Dad have to act as ‘guarantors’ for the landlord to accept ‘Junior’ as a tenant. The basic idea is if our offspring wreck the place, we’ll foot the bill!
When we can’t afford something, we should be grateful for someone who can, and is willing to do so on our behalf.
Last Sunday in church we were considering the Temple built in the Old Testament by King Solomon, and how worshippers could only approach God with a costly offering for their sin. This sacrifice was to get across the idea that we really cannot afford to disobey God’s commands. The consequences will be serious!
The New Testament book of Hebrews speaks of the strong ‘Guarantor’ Christians have in Christ, Who paid for the damage caused by our sin and pleads our case in Heaven’s court:
‘Therefore since we have a great high priest Who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses, but we have one Who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.’ (Hebrews 4 v 14-16)
One of my favourite hymns is ‘Before the throne of God above’. Written by Charitie Lees Smith, daughter of a Church of Ireland rector in the wake of the 1859 Revival, it has become popular again since the 1990s with a new tune sung by Kristyn Getty among others.
If we’re ever tempted to feel inadequate or a failure we should take comfort in the more-than-sufficient advocacy of our loving and sympathetic Lord.
‘When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upwards I look and see Him there
Who made an end to all my sin.
Because the sinless Saviour died
My sinful soul is counted free
For God the just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me.’
Often Mum and Dad have to act as ‘guarantors’ for the landlord to accept ‘Junior’ as a tenant. The basic idea is if our offspring wreck the place, we’ll foot the bill!
When we can’t afford something, we should be grateful for someone who can, and is willing to do so on our behalf.
Last Sunday in church we were considering the Temple built in the Old Testament by King Solomon, and how worshippers could only approach God with a costly offering for their sin. This sacrifice was to get across the idea that we really cannot afford to disobey God’s commands. The consequences will be serious!
The New Testament book of Hebrews speaks of the strong ‘Guarantor’ Christians have in Christ, Who paid for the damage caused by our sin and pleads our case in Heaven’s court:
‘Therefore since we have a great high priest Who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses, but we have one Who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.’ (Hebrews 4 v 14-16)
One of my favourite hymns is ‘Before the throne of God above’. Written by Charitie Lees Smith, daughter of a Church of Ireland rector in the wake of the 1859 Revival, it has become popular again since the 1990s with a new tune sung by Kristyn Getty among others.
If we’re ever tempted to feel inadequate or a failure we should take comfort in the more-than-sufficient advocacy of our loving and sympathetic Lord.
‘When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upwards I look and see Him there
Who made an end to all my sin.
Because the sinless Saviour died
My sinful soul is counted free
For God the just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me.’
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