John 1:11

"He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him" (NKJV) 

Though the latter part of this verse is sad, I love this verse.. We are His OWN~! 

I was reading Leviticus this morning and Lev.4-7 is about the Sin and Trespass Offerings which the priest offers up to make atonement for whoever sins/trespasses, and that person is forgiven.  

So, I began to meditate on these chapters and the underlying message that the "priest makes ATONEMENT for our sins" so that we can be forgiven of those sins.  

Hebrews 4:14-5:11 talks about how Jesus Christ is our compassionate perfect High Priest. "He learned obedience by the things which He suffered and having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, called by God as HIGH PRIEST" (Heb. 5:8-10)

Jesus suffered for us and made ATONEMENT for us as our HIGH PRIEST~!!! 

Why would He do such a great act of love for something that did not have any importance to Him.  It was because WE ARE HIS OWN.  He laid His own life down as a sacrifice for His own.  

I'm just sooo amazed and astonished at how strategic, wise, and omniscient God is... He had planned for this great act of atonement even before Jesus was sent. He knew that His creation would sin and that God would have to send a blood atonement to save us from our sins. He had it all planned out from the Old Testament times of Aaron and the process of atonement was finalized/abolished with Jesus who came as the ultimate sin/trespass sacrifice and offering for our sins.  

We belong to Jesus!! and we are forgiven and set free when we come to that place of believing that we are truly His own who He made atonement for us on the cross.