3/12/2026
"...let us draw near with a true heart in
full assurance of faith..."
Hebrews 10:22
True to the weather reports, my morning began with overcast skies, increasing winds, followed by rain mixed with ice and snow, changing to light snowfall that managed to cover the ground lightly, before the weather changed its focus to a semi-sunny afternoon. The weather has remained cold and a bit balmy, so I can hardly wait to see what the morning will bring. The week began with warmer weather going up to 80 degrees yesterday afternoon, so this sudden change was somewhat unexpected, even though we are still in the month of March. I had planned to go to Trader Joe's tomorrow afternoon, but I may decide to stay home and finish catching up on my chores. I doubt the weather will allow for outside garden chores, but I could be wrong, as I often am when it comes to predicting weather.
The quiet morning provided a little extra leisure as I prayed about the day ahead. Thursday evening I host a Bible study group, so I usually finish up going over the message notes. Deciding to put that for later, I turned to my study of the book of Hebrews using Andrew Murray's companion book entitled The Holiest of All. I have been ambling through this intense study, that is closely linked to the Old Testament book of Leviticus, for quite some time. There is so much depth in these scriptures, as it relates to the Holy Priesthood of Christ, that I have to savor it a bite at a time, if that makes sense. This is why I feel the only way to study the scriptures is line by line, precept by precept. I believe that's the whole idea, wouldn't you think?
In Chapter 10 of Hebrews the author, who is unknown, speaks of drawing near to God with a true heart. In order to look at this thought, I prefer to include the entire portion of scripture in order to view the context:
"Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, 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, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching." (Hebrews 10:19-25)
In this section of the chapter, the author is exhorting the Hebrew believers to hold fast to their confession of faith in Jesus Christ whose death tore the veil in the temple, allowing all who believed full access to God, to His throne of grace, a privilege previously only allowed to the high priest only one time a year for atonement of the sins of the nation. In Chapter 8:10 speaking of the New Covenant through Christ's death and resurrection, he says: "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD; I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people."
God encourages us to draw near to Him. He has always longed for fellowship with man, but this is not to be confused with religion that is more of head knowledge and doing rather than being. The first thing that He asks of us is to enter into His holy place with a true heart, with desires fixed upon Him, drawing near from a place of total surrender, yielded to Him, true to Him only. In Chapter 3 God speaks of hardened hearts, wandering hearts, and unbelieving hearts, but here God says He will put His laws into our minds, giving us a new heart, one desiring to abide in Him. God asks for our hearts, a heart ready to obey, to trust, to find the life He offers in the secret place of the most high. A pursuit of holiness, a deep spiritual hunger to live a life of full fellowship with God who is the Holy One. It is here, from this place, He calls us to draw near and receive the blessing. "Let us draw near with a true heart."
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