A New Approach
While watching the fantasy movie with my grandchildren, I was zoning out when God spoke, “My people don’t get it!” Sitting up straighter I silently asked, “What don’t we get?” The thoughts continued: “You don’t understand the meaning of believing and receiving. Why do you come to me groveling and whining about your faults and failures? I am your Father! Yet you haven’t really connected to who I am, you don’t know Me.” By now I was sitting up straight in the theater seat. God had my attention! “The Kingdom of God is in you – in earthen vessels – your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, The kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. I love you, but I am not pleased when you approach me with an apologetic attitude trying to explain your behavior and justify yourself. Why do you come proclaiming your unworthiness? I knew you before the foundation of the world, and I loved you!”
Many years ago I approached God in fear and trepidation. I didn’t know whether He would welcome me, or chastise me for something that I had done or hadn’t done. The CD playing in my head went round and round, stuck on “you should have” – “or how could you say that?” In my mind I could never measure up. Maybe, I could say that my approach was at least hopeful; maybe, just maybe, He would hear me, but I was never sure. We do not to approach God on our own merits, but we approach Him because He invited us to the Throne Room of Prayer. Now we can have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, knowing that the Father loves us unconditionally and is eager to have come into His presence.
PRAYER:
Father-God, I thank You for inviting me into the throne room of grace where I can receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. I have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that He opened for me through the curtain, and since I have a great priest over the house of God, I draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with my heart sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and my body washed with pure water. I hold fast the confession of my hope without wavering, for You have promised, and You are faithful. With the help of the Holy Spirit I will consider how to stir up others to love and good works. I am glad to meet together with my brothers and sisters to encourage them and receive encouragement, all the more as I see the Day drawing near.
Scripture References: Hebrews 4:16; Hebrews 10