These three words–‘ on our behalf’–floor me. They signify taking action for someone else. Pinch-hitting for one who’s been injured. Sacrificing for somebody else. Putting another ahead of me, I, and myself. Doing what’s right for a mere one more person for a change. And you know who did exactly that for us, don’t you?

Yes, Jesus! His time on earth was all about ‘on our behalf’. Not for personal glory. Or to be a bigshot. Hardly. He came to this earth to do for us what no one else could. As in freeing us from our sin. Forgiving and forgetting our rebellion against God and man. Healing the sick. Restoring relationships. Bringing new life to the dead in more ways than one.

All this was ‘on our behalf’. Can you imagine? Jesus, Lord of all, leaves heaven’s majesty and slums it with human beings who basically want nothing to do with Him. Not a bloomin’ thing. What an ungrateful bunch of yahoos we turn out to be. God wants to clean up what we’ve messed up, and we tell Him, in no uncertain terms, to take a hike. Get out of Dodge. Go back to where you came from. And He does, sad to say, for unrepentant rebels.

But for us who believe, who toss our hats in His ring, who say ‘yes’ to His invitation, He does it all ‘on our behalf’. For us. For you and me. Doing what I can’t, let alone won’t. Picking up the broken pieces that I’ve thrown to the ground and putting them back together again. The monkey wrench I toss into the engine of my life, Jesus reworks and rewires and rejiggers back into reasonable working order. ‘On our behalf’ takes on new meaning when we consider what we can do on our own, without any help from God. As in nothing. A big zero. Goose egg. So why not throw in the towel? Give up, already?

But we don’t have to. For Jesus has it all wrapped up…’on our behalf”. Read those chapters in the New Testament Book of Hebrews, and see how much Jesus achieves for us. Everything, really. Nothing more is needed. He knows what He’s doing… ‘on our behalf.’ Which means that we can relax. Depend upon Him. Show a little faith while you’re at it. Less putting our hand to the grindstone and more enjoying a Sabbath of peace and joy.

By the way, I almost forgot. Here’s two verses from the book of Hebrews I’m going to chew on this week–‘We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain (the Holy of Holies in Jerusalem’s Temple, now heaven), where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever…’ (Heb. 6: 19-20). And–‘For Christ has entered …into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf’ (Heb. 9: 24). Wow!

Our Lord Jesus. Not only for now, but forever…’on our behalf’!

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for all you do for me. I love you. Amen.