Hebrews 5:7-10 NIV “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.”

It is hard to grasp how difficult is was for Jesus to walk this sinful world. The sights and sounds He had to cope with, which offended His holy soul. As He taught the people, He knew the sin that infested their lives and He knew the coldness of heart, even in His own disciples. He knew the selfish motivations of those who wanted healing of body, but not for their dead souls. They wanted the bread and fish, but not the Word of God and the power of the Spirit. He heard the grumbling in every heart against His authority over all people.

How could He deal with all this.? There was no human person to confide in.

His instinctive motion was to turn to His Father. His fellowship with the Father was constant and complete. As He served the human, His focus was on God. God was His refuge and strength and He spent long hours in prayer to the one who upholds all things. Sleep was a secondary consideration. Jesus prayed while the disciples took their rest. He was not powered by food and sleep, but by the Holy Spirit.

The prayers of Jesus were not temperate and calm, but strong cries and tears fell for the hardness that prevailed in human hearts. Jesus knew that the powers of hell were against Him and His life was in constant danger. He cried to God for protection and holy power so that His purpose in coming to the world, would not be thwarted. Jesus had a work to do. To pay the price for His people’s sins, so that He would gain His eternal inheritance and share it with those who belong to Him.

God heard His prayer and rescued Him many times from death at the hands of His enemies. He was able to walk away from them. He walked through the crowd and no one could lay their hands on Him. When the rabble wanted to take Him by force, they fell away backward.! God shows us clearly that Jesus is in full control. The Lord Jesus saw His prayers answered because He submitted to the will of the Father. Jesus was in total agreement and totally submitted to the Father.

When we grasp who Jesus is, His power and glory, equal to God the Father, we see how amazing His submission is.  In some glorious way, Jesus became the perfect High Priest of His people, because of this humility and sacrifice. His humble, submissive and sacrificial attitude, made Him perfect and our perfect Saviour.

Eternal salvation is only in Christ. He was given the task to procure forgiveness for those who would come to Him in faith. He is able because of who He is and of what He endured.  Those who obey Him become part of His kingdom.

Jesus was made a priest forever, like Melchizedek. Melchizedek the priest was a king of righteousness. He combined the two roles of the king and priest. Jesus takes this on as He is the true Messiah. He is the Saviour of the world. He is our king, our ruler. He is our priest, who pleads for us before God. God has highly exalted Him and He has a name above every name. There is none like Him…

If the holy Son of the Living God cries out in prayer, so much more we need to do the same. And more, as we see that great day approaching when He will return to take all His redeemed people home.