Perfect

"For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." Hebrews 4:15 As pilgrims, or sojourners, through the wilderness of this world, we are not on our own, or left to our own devices, but we have a Great High Priest, who represents us in all our spiritual interests to the Father. He is PERFECTLY suited for us in this role, because He is PERFECTLY faithful (He can always be relied upon to carry out all the Father's will concerning us as Captain of our Salvation, High Priest of our Profession, and the Author and Finisher of our Faith), and He is PERFECTLY "merciful", meaning He truly, deeply cares for us in our need, because He fully understands our frailties, actually identifies with us in our weakness, and fully enters into the deep feelings of our hearts. This is an amazing truth and ought to comfort and thrill and encourage the heart of every believer! The truth is, WE VERY MUCH DO HAVE AN HIGH PRIEST WHO IS VERY DEFINITELY "TOUCHED" WITH THE FEELING OF OUR INFIRMITIES! The word sumpatheo is found in the Greek text; a word that means "suffer or feel together with." You might easily see that we get the English word, "sympathy" from this. But the interesting thing is, "sumpatheo" is actually closer in meaning to our English word, "EMPATHY." Sympathy, of course, means you feel FOR someone who is in sorrow or pain. But EMPATHY means YOU, YOURSELF, FEEL THEIR PAIN, THEIR SORROW, TOGETHER WITH THEM. Empathy means "YOUR pain . . . on MY heart!" This is the wonderful kind of High Priest we have in the Lord Jesus. And this is why there is no one in our lives, no one in this world, who can so come alongside us, and console us in our deepest sorrow, as He alone can . . . AND DOES! (I Peter 5:7; II Corinthians 1:3-4)