“ Let us draw near to God with a
sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to
cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure
water.” Hebrews 10:22
Learning to draw near to God.
Learning to embrace His love as truth. His truth as love.
Learning to embrace His fiery power
without fear. Coming before His throne with confidence.
How? How can I come before Him in
reverence…and confidence? This is the question I was asking. How can I, a mere
mortal draw near to GOD. How can any of us think we have the right to even talk to Him.
I had to go back to the “basics.” The
gospel never loses its power. We think we have learned all these things. We
think we are saved, now we move on. But we must never forget. I think I forgot
about the grace that was poured out on me. I forgot…and all I saw was God’s
greatness. And I was filled with fear. And I saw a long list of things I had to
do to gain access to His throne.
But, as He so often does…He drew me
to His word. “Look at this,” He said, “I have promised you so much. Look how
much I gave for you. Look how much I love you. Look what I DID FOR YOU.”
He Says “I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to
overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.” He’s speaking to me.
Wow.
“For a brief moment I abandoned you,
but with deep compassion I will bring you back. In a surge of anger I hid my
face from you for a moment, but with
everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you,” says the Lord.
“Be still and know that I am God.”
Just a few of the things He spoke to
me.
“Yes, I am mighty, I am a fire. I
punish. But I also love. And I have
chosen you. In all your dirtiness, before you accepted me, I loved you. And I
will never leave you. I will never forsake you. And when I promise, it stands.”
And I saw the face of God coming
through His word. I saw His love emanating from the pages of the Bible.
And I was filled with a desire to
draw near to His heart. To get to know Him more than before. To bind my heart
to His. And He met me there.
Coming to His heart. It wasn’t
something I had to do. It wasn’t something I had to say, some memorized words.
It was because of Him. I CAN come before the throne of God with confidence. Not
on my own merit, but because I am covered by the blood and grace of a mighty
man, Jesus, who came to this dirty place.
He left His heavenly comfort and communion with His father. And he came, He was
mocked. He was hungry, thirsty, sad, tired. And then He died. For nothing He
had done. The wrath of God was poured out on Him. God turned His face from Him.
FOR NOTHING HE HAD DONE. Because He loved me. Me.
And He calls me to surrender to His
love and power. Every part of my heart. To give it to Him. Death to myself, but
in exchange for so much more! A
victorious surrender. A rendering of our heart to His will.
And so when I stand before God on
Judgment day and He looks at me. And then He speaks “What do you bring?” I
don’t tremble and list the “good” things I did, hoping they are enough. No. I
speak boldly, “I am covered by the blood
of Jesus Christ. The price is paid. His sacrifice is enough.”
That boldness is mine. That
confidence is mine. And it is yours. Not because of what we have done or will
do or can do. For that is all dirty rags….BUT BECAUSE OF WHAT HE DID.
Praise Jesus for the sacrifice He
lived. Nobody, nobody on this earth can love you like Jesus did. His love was
perfect. Is perfect. And He never changes.
And so today, I am free. Free to serve my King out of love, no longer in
slavery. Free to fall deeper and deeper in love with my heavenly prince,
warrior, Redeemer.
And that is what my heavenly father
has so gently been showing me.
