The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…
“Access. Avail. Ask”
“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 5:1-2).
Having availed ourselves of God’s freely given favor through the Lord Jesus, born again believers have set forth on an eternal journey to honor our Savior by accessing the grace that makes possible a life far beyond our means.
“Let us have grace, that we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear” (Hebrews 12:28).
Let us be sure to make such blessedness personal and pertinent. Our Heavenly Father beckons you and me in this day to His blessed “throne of grace” to avail ourselves of “grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). You. Me. This day. Let us rejoice together in the moment at hand that our Father so greatly desires to be for us and do for us all we require of His presence and working. He does much without our even asking. However, because He has led us into relationship with Himself through Christ, He also reserves much until we relate to Him by faith. Or, until we avail ourselves of freely given access.
“Ye have not because ye ask not” (James 4:2).
We would not want it any other way. Indeed, if God had made us for life to involve inevitable outcomes in every aspect of our walk with Him, the deepest yearning of our hearts would forever go unfulfilled. Originally created in His image, and redeemed by grace to be conformed to the image of the Lord Jesus, we play a real and vital role of response as we seek to trust and obey our Father. We must be led, motivated, and enabled by the Holy Spirit. But we also must respond in the marvel of liberty declared by our Savior: “If the Son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:36). Free to what? Free to access. Free to avail. Free to ask. Free to love God in a real response of our hearts to His, so beautifully proclaimed by the Psalmist who well knew both his need for the Lord’s enabling, but also the sublime gift of his freedom to respond…
“I will love Thee, o Lord my strength!” (Psalm 18:1).
The Spirit of God beckons to the throne in day and this hour, the throne of a grace whose marvel of love, mercy, and provision even eternity will not fully dispense. May He lead us to access, avail, and ask in remembrance of that which made such favor possible. “My God, My God why hast Thou forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46). On the cross, the Lord Jesus was denied access, that we may be granted free entree unto God forevermore, and in this moment. In such holy light, may we respond to the Holy Spirit’s beckoning to access, avail, and ask.
How can it be, 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, o come unto this place!
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!
“For through Him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.”
(Ephesians 2:18)
"Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of Him."
(Ephesians 3:11-12)
"Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money, come ye, buy and eat. Yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price."
(Isaiah 55:1)
Weekly Memory Verse
And when I saw Him, I fell at his feet as dead. And He laid His right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not, I am the first and the last.
(Revelation 1:17)
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