Jesus is responsible for me . . .

One steep daily expense in Italy is parking (and parking tickets if you park in a forbidden spot or too long in one that is allowed.) I just finished reading a book where a person was given an assignment with ‘all expenses paid’ and thought how handy to have a patron, a surety, a guarantor for such expenses, a person who makes himself responsible for me — liable for my debts, defaults, or obligations, and maybe even parking tickets.

Today’s devotional reading reminds me that I do have such a guarantor. He may not cover the parking issues, but He takes care of everything else. As Hebrews 7 says, He was made a priest forever and therefore the “guarantor of a better covenant.” (Hebrews 7:20-22)

In the covenant of grace, God puts His people into the care of His Son who agreed to be responsible for our eternal welfare. Jesus came to this world and lived as our representative, fulfilling our obligation to God’s Law and establishing our righteousness. He died as our substitute, paying our penalty for sin, and lives forever to take care of us . . .

Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst . . . . All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day." (John 6:35-40)

As the devotional says, Jesus is responsible for God’s people. He guarantees to find, save, and bring home His sheep, then present every one of us faultless and blameless before God. He will do it and will not fail.

^^^^^^^^^^

Lord Jesus Christ, You came to seek and save the lost, and that is what You promised as our Surety. You are taking care of me and have never failed. Although I cannot imagine what it will be like to stand before the Father and hear You declare me faultless, I’m so thankful that You grabbed hold of me and You will not let go. When the Lamb’s book of life is opened, my name will be there. You wrote it in before the world began, and You will point to my name and say, “You gave her to me, and she is mine; she cannot be lost.”