How can I as a human reach God? How do I reach the place where my heart, as well as my daily life, is in harmony with the creator of the world? How can I find peace with God when I feel restless, afraid, and guilty for my sins?
God sent his Son into the world to die for the sins of all people. Before Jesus’s death on the cross, people took sacrifices to a priest as an offering for forgiveness. The priest prayed to God for them and confessed their sins.
When Jesus died on the cross, the curtain in the Jewish temple was torn in two from top to bottom. “And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom” (Matthew 27:51). This curtain kept common people from the most sacred part of the temple where the High Priest met God yearly to make sacrifice for the sins of the people. When the curtain was torn apart, it was a sign that Jesus’s death brought in a new covenant, a time in which all people can have direct, personal access to God. It is no longer necessary to go to a priest or pastor to find forgiveness for our sins.
As sinners, we can come to God, through Jesus, with a prayer for mercy. We can tell Him we are sorry for our sins and surrender our future to Him. When we turn to God with all our heart, He sees that it is soft and humble. He has promised to forgive our sins, and we receive peace in our heart. Because Jesus died for us, He is our path to God, and we do not need a pastor or priest to pray over us. God will always give salvation when there is a complete surrender to Him. He enters our heart with his Holy Spirit, we are born again, and we are his child!
After a person is born again, God wants a friendship with his new child. Throughout every day, we can turn our hearts and minds to Him. A quiet time of Bible reading and prayer is important for the spiritual health of a Christian. When questions and troubles come, simply explaining them to God and asking for help is a great honor to Him. Often a clear answer does not come immediately. Through faith in God’s promises and surrender to whatever He sees best, we receive strength to endure and wisdom for good decisions. As time goes by, submission to God is required to keep our heart open to Him.
Will you take the path to God? The Bible says, “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear” (Isaiah 59:1) Jesus says, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Will you come?