Jesus Our Big Brother

"One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." (Proverbs 18:24)

For a long time, I saw seeking God's help as just "Something that I would" as a matter of form, but then it was up to me to take care of everything.

That's not true at all.

God is very much active in our lives. He wants to work in us, through us, and definitely around us and among our situations.

He is alive, active in our times, in our places.

I really did not believe that. For a long time, I still saw Jesus, my Daddy God, as figments of my imagination, or as comfort measures to make me "Feel better", and nothing more.

He's alive, though, and well-aware of what we are going through. He doesn't look away from our troubles, but implores us to come to Him!

"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4:16)

We have this boldness because of His righteousness!

First, the righteous are as bold as lion. (Proverbs 28:1)

We have been established in His righteousness (Isaiah 54:14)

In fact, because of Jesus' Finished Work, we have been made the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Paul later writes:

"9For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. 10For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. 11For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious." (2 Corinthians 3:9-11)

The ministry of righteousness provides greater glory than the ministry of condemnation (the Old Covenant, the Law of Moses). This glory gives us greater boldness:

"Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:" (2 Corinthians 3:12)

Plainness is the same word for boldness, parrhesia.

God's gift of righteousness gives us full confidence, full boldness to come to Him, to know that all our sins are paid for, that if we come to Him, we know that He hears us!

"And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us" (1 John 5:14)

Jesus is closer than a brother, and sticks with us when times are tough, when we have no answers, or despair of the outcomes.

He is at work, and He wants to work for me:

"But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work." (John 5:17)