128: A royal priesthood | 1 Peter 2:9

For thousands of years, a priest could only come into God’s presence one day a year. Through Jesus, we can come into His presence whenever we wish. What an honor!

I think we take prayer for granted. I know I do. It’s easy, right? Both prayer and taking it for granted. We can “throw one up” on the way into work or right before a big test. Some families sing a rhyming prayer before dinner. It’s just, well, prayer, right? Only it isn’t. Prayer is a spiritual act of coming into the presence of God. For thousands of years, only one person could come before the presence of God: The High Priest. Not just any priest. The High Priest. He was the only one. And he couldn’t do it whenever he wanted. It only happened on one specific day every year. On the Day of Atonement, the High Priest would enter the Holy of Holies, the presence of God. Yet, when Jesus died on the cross, the veil in the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. It was a picture. This veil concealed the Holy of Holies. And when Jesus was on the cross, this sacred place was left wide open. The presence of God was not available to anyone who chose to meet Him there. I mean, wow! Let that sink in for a moment. It goes deeper. That is where our One Verse for today comes in. 1 Peter 2:9 teaches us that, as followers of Jesus, we are considered a royal priesthood. We can now meet with God whenever we choose! We are acting as priests, and not just any priest, the High Priest on the Day of Atonement. Yet, I can pray in my living room. That means that it’s easy to take for granted. But if we could simply remember that we are acting as High Priests every time we pray, what would that do for our prayer life? I’m not the best at prayer. I have a long way to go. But I do understand that this is an awesome honor and responsibility. What could only happen one day a year is now available to us whenever we choose!

One Verse is a short, free podcast devotional designed to help you grow closer to God through less than 5 minutes a day, 5 days a week.

Consistency trumps intensity. When it comes to working out, eating healthy, or managing our finances, consistency always trumps intensity. We reach our major life goals through small, purposeful steps taken daily. The same is true in our spiritual lives. I truly believe you will grow closer to God by spending just 5 minutes a day with Him versus cramming in an hour once a month. The One Verse Devotional is here to help take away the barriers of spending time with God. Now, during your workout, drive to work, or even shopping for groceries, you can invest in your spiritual life.

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