Heb.10:19-22 – Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
And having a high priest over the house of God;
Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith,
There is a golf cliche that I want to use as an example today to show how we can actually live a new life in the presence of God. I have heard golfers, especially PGA professionals, talk about the importance of getting out of your own way on the golf course. I have played golf for over 60 years and I am still not quite sure what that phrase even means. What I think it means is to get out of your head and let your athletic ability take over; easier said than done. So what is the spiritual application? Today’s scripture passage talks about human flesh that gets in the way of living in the presence of God. It is our thoughts, sins, fears, and compromising ways that could be called our flesh. The veil in the temple pictured human flesh which was torn in two by the death of Christ. Jesus showed us the way into the presence, it is through the torn flesh pictured by the veil that we enter into the glory. Here is how Andrew Murray describes this.
“The death of Jesus was not only the dedication or inauguration of the new sanctuary and of the new covenant, but also of the new way into the holy presence and fellowship of God. Whoever in faith accepts of the blood He shed as His boldness of entrance, must accept, too, of the way He opened up as that in which he walks. And what was that way? The way through the veil, that is, His flesh. The veil is the flesh. The veil that separated man from God was the flesh, human nature under the power of sin. Christ came in the likeness of sinful flesh, and dwelt with us here outside the veil. The Word was made flesh. He also Himself in like manner partook of flesh and blood. In the days of His flesh, He was tempted like as we are; He offered prayer and supplication with strong crying and tears. He learned obedience even to the death. Through the rent veil of His flesh, His will, His life, as yielded up to God in death, He entered into the holiest”.
So what is it that keeps getting in your way, or in other words keeps you from entering into the presence of God? Is it unwillingness to take the time to press in to God in worship, or maybe unwilling to give up some of your carnal habits, or simply not knowing this life is even available to you? Whatever kind of flesh is blocking you take a tip from an old golfer, just get out of your own way.
