Hebrews 8:1-6: in context

The writer of Hebrews states the main point of all he has been saying: we have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a minister in the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man. This high priest, Christ, serves not in an earthly copy but in the true, heavenly sanctuary; and he has obtained a more excellent ministry than the priests of old, as the mediator of a better covenant, established on better promises. We have a high priest in heaven itself, representing us before God.

The assurance held out here is that we have a high priest in heaven itself. The priests of the old covenant served in an earthly tabernacle, a copy and shadow of the heavenly reality. But Christ, our high priest, serves in the true sanctuary, heaven itself, seated at the right hand of God's throne. That he is seated is itself significant: the old priests stood, their work never finished, always more sacrifices to offer; but Christ sat down, his work of sacrifice completed once for all, and now he represents us before God from the place of highest honor. We have a high priest not in an earthly shadow but in the very presence of God, whose finished work seats him at God's right hand. This gives us secure and direct access to God. We do not approach God alone, or through a system of earthly priests offering endless sacrifices; we have a high priest in heaven, who has entered God's presence on our behalf and represents us there. He is able to save to the uttermost, Hebrews says, those who come to God through him, since he always lives to intercede for them. Our access to God rests not on our own worthiness but on our high priest, who is in God's presence for us, mediating a better covenant. There is one mediator between God and men, Paul says, the man Christ Jesus. Through him we come to God securely. And he is the mediator of a better covenant, established on better promises. The old covenant, with its earthly priests and repeated sacrifices, was a shadow; Christ mediates a better covenant, one that truly cleanses, truly reconciles, truly brings us to God, resting on better promises secured by his finished work. We do not depend on the shadow but have the reality; not the earthly copy but the true, in Christ our heavenly high priest. This assures us as we come to God. We have such a high priest, seated at God's right hand, representing us in heaven itself, mediating a better covenant. Our access to God is secure, resting not on ourselves but on Christ, who is in God's presence for us. Let us therefore, Hebrews urges, draw near with confidence to the throne of grace. Because we have a high priest in heaven, we may come to God boldly; and the assurance of Christ our high priest, seated at God's right hand and mediating a better covenant, gives us secure and confident access to the God into whose presence he has entered on our behalf.

Do I imagine my access to God rests on my own worthiness, or feel uncertain of my standing before him, and can the assurance that we have such a high priest, seated at the right hand of God's throne in heaven itself, his work finished, mediating a better covenant on better promises, give me secure and confident access to God, resting not on myself but on Christ who is in God's presence for me, so that I draw near with confidence to the throne of grace?