Hebrews 2

"Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing
outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in
subjection to him." -- Hebrews 2:8

God has made Jesus king. The sky, the sands, the birds, the fish, the
lion, bear, you, me, our money -- all creation is a subject of His
rule. Sometimes, I feel like there are aspects of creation in my life
that I hide like stowaways. It's as if I can keep things out of the
king's sight then they are not his subjects -- out of sight, out of
mind. There are things that I consistently stow away and try to keep
under my rule as opposed to the rule of Jesus. Thoughts, lusts,
desires, jealousies, dreams -- things that for one reason or another I
am afraid to show to the king. If I show them to him, then they will
fall under his rule. If they fall under his rule, then the fates of my
desires, dreams, grudges, thoughts are not longer for me to judge.

I can handle Jesus as a friend. I can handle Jesus as the humble
servant. I can handle Jesus as the long-haired, tree-hugging, hackie-
sack playing, make love/not war, flip-flopped flapping, patchouli-
scented motivational speaker. I struggle greatly with Jesus as my
king. As someone who demands obedience and reverence. For Jesus the
king to demand (lovingly) that I relinquish my hold on my thoughts and
desires is terrifying. He says powerfully and compassionately, "The
loneliness, the hurt, the hope, the ambitions -- give it all to me.
All things -- seen and unseen -- are in subjection to me. Trust me to
be just. Trust me to lead you." Often, I'd rather hold on to my dreams
and watch them suffocate from a lack of trying than give them to Jesus
and see them taken away in an attempt to save me.

************

"Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself
likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might
destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and
deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong
slavery. For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the
offspring of Abraham. Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in
every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high
priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the
people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able
to help those who are being tempted." -- Hebrews 2:14-18

This passage is so packed full of good stuff.

"Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood .... " (For us
to know God deeply, he chose to restrict himself to a physical form.)

"... he himself likewise partook of the same things ..." (He ate the
food we ate. Used a restroom. He slept in uncomfortable beds and
stubbed his toe, like me he went through the mundane motions of daily
life.)

" ... that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of
death, that is, the devil, ... " (Jesus came with a mission. He didn't
come on vacation. He didn't come on a book tour. He came for the
purpose of dying a grizzly, brutal, humiliating death so that I could
be freed from my captors.)

"... and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to
lifelong slavery. ..." (He freed us not only from our sins, but from
our fear of dying. He gave us a hope that we would never really die.
We would only close our eyes here and open them elsewhere.)

" ... For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the
offspring of Abraham. ..." (He didn't come to help his fallen angels
or the devil. He came for man -- weak, stupid, selfish, sinful man. I
can't fly. I haven't seen even a glimpse of the wonders they have. I'm
not as impressive as His angels...yet he came to save me.)

"... Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every
respect, ..." (Fingernails, hair, rumbling stomach, ear wax, brushing
his teeth, washing behind his ears, using a restroom, clipping his
fingernails, sleepy, sunburned, foot-falling-asleep Jesus.)

"... so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in
the service of God, ..." (He become like us, but he would not stay
like us. He needed to show us that we had a leader who was merciful,
loving, kind, just. He came to show us that we had a high priest who
would speak to God on our behalf and who would give the ultimate
offering so that we could be right with God."

"... to make propitiation for the sins of the people. ..." (He came to
show me how to obey God and how to love God and love others. He came
to be a satisfactory payment for the insurmountable debt I had
accumulated toward God.)

"... For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to
help those who are being tempted." (I can go to Jesus with my
struggles because he faced the same temptations I face, but He did not
sin. That gives me hope that if I can follow in his footsteps, I can
survive temptations without sinning myself. And Jesus really can
relate to all of my struggles. He knows what it is like to feel
physically weaker than others. He knows what it is like to watch his
friends take brides and to know that that is not in your cards. He
knows what it's like to be betrayed, abandoned, forgotten, to have
people talk about you behind your back. He knows what its like to be
accused, questioned, harassed. Jesus knows what pain feels like. Jesus
can sympathize with anyone. That is why he is so great. That's why
he's all I've really got.)