The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…
"Always To Pray"
Part 5 - "The Throne of Grace"
"Men ought always to pray, and not to faint."
(Luke 18:1)
Only a "throne of grace" can beckon us to approach the living and true God.
"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:16).
We could not approach a throne that demands our righteousness. Or our works. Or our sacrifices. Or dedication. Or faithfulness. Or kindness. Or any other means we devise and practice.
"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God" (Romans 5:1-2).
A life of consistent and effectual prayer journeys along the path of righteousness, Christ's righteousness, freely imputed to all who believe. "He hath made us accepted in the Beloved" (Ephesians 1:6). Growing realization of such grace fosters confidence in our access to God based upon who the Lord Jesus is, and what He has done and is doing for us. "For through Him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father" (Ephesians 2:18). Any other sensibility will result in either failure to pray, or to mere ritual whereby we pray because we know it is the proper thing to do. The former grieves God; the latter does not interest Him (Deuteronomy 28:47). Only thereby will we understand and perceive the throne we approach as one of God's grace rather than our merits.
How can it be, o Lord,
that You call me to this place,
to gaze upon Your face?
Oh, it must be, it is! Thy throne of grace!
I see the blood-stained way
that nail-scarred feet have traced,
I hear the Spirit call, come unto this place.
Oh it must be, it is! Thy throne of grace!
Other paths my broken feet would stay,
I could not come by any other way,
no other access could I find to this blessed and holy place.
Oh it must be, it is! Thy throne of grace!
In our times of greatest faithfulness, believers come to God only through the Lord Jesus, affirming our access through Him. In our times of most woeful unfaithfulness, the path remains clear as we come to God through the Lord Jesus in repentance and contrition. He is our access, our mediator, and our way. "Always to pray" involves always knowing this truth about the throne we approach, the only Heavenly seat we could access. Yes, the Lord of grace calls us to His throne of grace and to our "access by faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God."
"By Him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name."
(Hebrews 13:15)
Weekly Memory Verse
I will go in the strength of the Lord my God.
(Psalm 71:16).
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