He Is Able To Help Us

Therefore, it was necessary for him to be made in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then he could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people. Since he himself has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help us when we are being tested. Hebrews 2:17-18

WHEN OUR CHILDREN ARE BORN, they are completely dependent on us. As they grow, they learn to do some things for themselves and become less dependent. But the goal of parenting is not merely to raise children who no longer need their parents or who are completely self-reliant. The goal of parenting is to raise children who know where to turn and are willing to go to the right place for help. Here in Hebrews, we discover the resource our children need when they are facing temptation. It’s not their parents they need as much as their Brother, Jesus.

“Now Jesus and the ones he makes holy have the same Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters” (verse 11). For Jesus to call us his brothers and sisters is an affirmation of intimacy, shared experience, and loyalty. He was made like us in every way —including becoming vulnerable to temptation.

We tend to think it must have been easier for Jesus to resist the temptations Satan threw at him than it is for us to resist the temptations Satan throws at us. But Jesus didn’t exploit his inherent deity to overcome temptation. He faced it in his full humanity, using only the weapons we have at our disposal: the Word of God, the Holy Spirit, and trust in his heavenly Father. When our children go to their brother, Jesus, in the midst of temptation, he points them toward these same resources. Jesus helps them battle temptation in a way that only he can.

Lord, when ________ feels tempted to do what is easy rather than what is right, remind her that Jesus knows how she feels. He was tempted that way too. When ________ feels overwhelmed with demands on her time and energy, remind her that Jesus knows how she feels. When ________ feels crushed by the sorrows of this broken world, remind her that Jesus knows how she feels.