by Rachel Palm

Hebrews 4:14-5:10

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Every high priest is selected from among the people and is appointed to represent the people in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness. This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people. And no one takes this honor on himself, but he receives it when called by God, just as Aaron was.

In the same way, Christ did not take on himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to him,

“You are my Son;
today I have become your Father.”

And he says in another place,

“You are a priest forever,
in the order of Melchizedek.”

During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.

I ran out of words this year.

We all did. The ones we did use became a sort of white noise, a never ending backdrop of “COVID”, “overwhelming”, “social unrest”, “exhausted”, and “sick”.

I ran out of words as children in my piano studio came in week after week, upset because they still couldn’t take their masks off, sad they still couldn’t see their friends, and frustrated they still didn’t know when all of this would be over. I ran out of words, even opinions, as people argued and ranted over their political differences. I ran out of words when a family friend was diagnosed with COVID and then died in an overflowing Brazilian hospital, leaving twelve children and a loving wife.

There were words, of course, sitting stoppered in my throat. I couldn’t bring myself to say them.

I don’t understand. This is all wrong. Everything is over.

The words may stay there, stuck, but my Advocate knows. It is His heart to speak for me, especially when I cannot. It is His desire to speak the words that I struggle to say because He truly empathizes with my weakness, my doubt, and my fear. As my Priest, He goes before me to pray on my behalf with fervency, that I may enter with confidence.

When I have run out of words, He has not. His compassion, His comfort, and His kindness support each of us in our time of need. To be wordless is to admit our need for Him, and this is a gift. For when we are wordless, He speaks His Word over us, “In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

And He gives us these words, this Word, that we might not only take for ourselves, but also give to one another. For as much as we have all run out of words and thoughts, our brothers and sisters near and far have felt and experienced the same. Let us not let a day go by that we do not take them and their burdens to the Cross along with our own. For our High Priest is ready and able to listen, pray for us, and speak His Word over us.

Word

by Madeleine L’Engle

I, who live by words, am wordless when

I try my words in prayer. All language turns

To silence. Prayer will take my words and then

Reveal their emptiness. The stilled voice learns

To hold its peace, to listen with the heart

To silence that is joy, is adoration.

The self is shattered, all words torn apart

In this strange patterned time of contemplation

That, in time, breaks time, breaks words, breaks me,

And then, in silence, leaves me healed and mended.

I leave, returned to language, for I see

Through words, even when all words are ended.

I, who live by words, am wordless when

I turn me to the Word to pray. Amen.

Rachel Palm is a piano teacher and blogger living in Greenville, SC. She writes stories and book reviews at https://allthingsfindinghopeinillness.blog/. She is so thankful for every single person who worked to make the Lent Project a reality. She loves seeing words, music, and art nourish the people of God. When she isn’t playing the piano, she enjoys finding a trail to hike with her friends, writing fantasy stories, or drinking a lot of tea.

Lent Day 39