Come out from behind the curtain
When Jesus died on the cross, the temple curtain was torn from top to bottom. The message The translation says it very well: 19-21 So, friends, we can now, without hesitation, walk directly to God, to the “Holy Place”. Jesus has cleared the way with his sacrificial blood, acting as our priest before God. The “curtain” in God’s presence is his body.
Just think how amazed the parishioners must have been when they saw what goes on behind the curtain for the first time. They probably couldn’t believe their eyes. They must have carefully stepped over the pile of material to enter the space that the high priest could only enter once a year. And now they could too. Now they too could meet God. Tearing the curtains opened a whole new path for them!
It is difficult for us today to imagine what they must have thought about all this. But this event was like a blind man who sees and a dead man who suddenly hears. For the first time that distant God was near. The foundations of the church were shaken once and for all. It would never be the same again.
From that day on, people traveled a new path. The path opened by the death of Jesus. Just as his body was torn and torn, the curtain that hid the people was torn from God.
People no longer had to sacrifice animals for their sin. Never again did the head of the church have to go behind the curtain to talk to God. Ordinary people like you and me could talk to God for themselves.
All this was possible thanks to the death of Jesus on the cross.
But the question is whether my life is taking this new path opened by the death of Jesus. Am I living a life behind the curtain that I am actually hiding from people, or am I living a life free from the burden of sin, where I am not afraid to show my true colors to the world?
Lea tells how her boss broke the curtain:
After two years I began to pray for him, because I was too scared to even give him his messages. It took a while, but it finally changed. From a ranting loudmouth who cursed and found fault with everyone all the time, he began to change and talk to me about the deeper things in life. And he allowed me to point out where he was doing wrong. The last four years he even started going to church…
When you meet Jesus, you come out from behind the curtain. So you live differently. Then others notice that you are different.
And you? Are you living differently because you’ve come out behind the curtain?
Holy Scripture
Hebrews 10:19-25
Reflection
Where are you living?
Are you standing in front or behind the curtain?
How can the fact that Jesus pulled back the curtain make you go in a new direction?
Prayer
Jesus, thank you for tearing down the curtain so we can go directly to God. Thank you that I no longer need to stand behind the curtain. Please help me to go in a new direction so that I can live Your Name wherever I go. Amen.
