THE INVITATION TO INTIMACY

And since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Hebrews 10:21–22

In the Old Testament, the High Priest alone could enter the deepest presence of God. But Hebrews 10:21–22 reveals a radical shift: we now have a “great priest over the house of God,” and that house isn't a building of stone—it is us. As 1 Corinthians 3:16 declares, you are the temple where God’s Spirit dwells.

Because of this, the invitation is simple yet profound: “Let us draw near.”

The door is wide open, but the choice to walk through it is ours. This isn’t a call to approach God with a checklist of religious duties, but with a sincere heart. This sincerity isn’t a condition you have to manufacture; it is a gift you have been given through Christ. You can approach Him with full assurance, knowing that you aren’t being judged by your past, but welcomed because of your Savior.

Notice the imagery of cleansing: our hearts are “sprinkled clean” and our bodies “washed.” In the same way we wash away the dirt of the day, Christ has dealt with the "evil conscience" that tells us we aren't good enough. The guilt that once kept you at a distance has been washed away by the finished work of Jesus.

Today, do not settle for a distant relationship with your Creator. Whether you are gathering with the "us" of the church or seeking Him in the quiet of your own heart, draw near. You are not an intruder; you are a temple. You are not a stranger; you are a child coming home to a Father who has already made you clean.

Ethan Kallberg