“The Infinite and the Intimate"

     "Let us come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:16).

    "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God" (Romans 5:1).

    "Christ Jesus our Lord: in whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of Him" (Ephesians 3:12).

    

    The living God beckons us to come to Him, having provided free access to His throne of grace by the self sacrificial person and work of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.  Such truth should amaze and thrill us.  Doubtless it does, but in my own awareness and response, I find that the wonder doesn't impact my heart as powerfully as it should.  Part of the reason involves the fact that we presently "see through a glass, darkly" (I Corinthians 13:12).  "We walk by faith, not by sight" (II Corinthians 5:7).  This presents a great challenge in our awareness of God's presence, and of the access we have through Christ whereby we may commune with our Heavenly Father at all times.  We do not see, hear, or touch Him in the physical sense, while the world in which we live constantly beckons with its easily sensed sights, sounds, and objects.  Thus, in doctrine and principle, we may believe in the wonder of our access to God.  In practice, however, we find much challenge in consistently availing ourselves of so great a gift, purchased by so high a cost.

    Our Heavenly Father knows the difficulty we find in this most vital of spiritual matters.  "He knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we are dust" (Psalm 103:4).  Moreover, longsuffering patience characterizes our Lord's disposition with His trusting children in Christ (Psalm 86:15).  He therefore beckons us in the present moment, calling us into to be amazed by the reality that the infinite God is also the intimate God.  Through Christ, we may approach Him always with a prayerful heart, again, "to obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."  I find that the mercy often required involves my failure to come, and the grace to help involves my need for remembrance that I can and must approach the seat of royalty so blesssedly named, "the throne of grace."  Were it any other type of throne, we would not have access.  Because it is the site and scene of freely given favor in the Lord Jesus, we may come with confidence as we make our approach in faith and humility.  No greater wonder exists in the pages of God's blessed Word.  And no greater opportunity presents itself to our hearts in this moment than the possibility of intimate fellowship with our infinite Father…

"In Thy presence is fullness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures forevermore."

(Psalm 16:11)

Weekly Memory Verse

    Ye are not in the flesh but in the spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you.

(Romans 8:9)