Daily Devotional: Friday, March 12
Speaker: Ben Sigman
Theme: Grace
Weekend Music links on iTunes: Yesterday, Today and Forever by Vicky Beeching; The Time Has Come by Hillsong United; Your Name by Paul Baloche; Need You Here by Hillsong; Til I See You by Hillsong.
Read: Ephesians 2:14-22; Hebrews 4:16
Think: A few months ago the big news of the day was the White House dinner crashers. Remember the couple who was able to get into a State dinner at the White House without an official invitation? The media had a field day with the story!
Though in this instance it doesn't seem to be the case, generally it is supposed to be incredibly difficult to get to our country's highest official. There is a prescribed protocol, with background checks and security clearances not to mention the fact you have to know the right people and be a noteworthy person yourself of course.
Throughout time, dignitaries, leaders and monarchs have had specific and ironclad rules about who could be in their presence and what steps needed to be observed before doing so. For example the biblical account of Queen Esther we see that she couldn't even approach her husband the king without Him first inviting her. She - or anyone for that matter - risked her very life for simply requesting audience with the king.
Contrast that to our God, the King of kings, the Creator of the Universe... He invites His people to come to His throne freely. We can come to Him anytime-no advance appointments and no background checks required! But it does come down to knowing the right Person - "Through [Christ] we . . . have access by one Spirit to the Father" (Ephesians 2:18). Because of this, the book of Hebrews urges us to "come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:16).
You have an open invitation to come to the King. You can come in awe and gratitude, for God is willing to welcome you into His presence. He wants to spend time with you and He is available to you, with grace and mercy, to hear your prayers.
Do: Don't let anything hinder you from coming to the Lord... You have an open invitation and He wants you to spend time with Him.
Pray: Lord, thank you that I don't need some special rite performed or to hold a certain position in order to come to You - but just as I am, today, you invite me to come. Thank you for the grace that allows me to approach your throne boldly knowing that You won't turn me away. Amen.
The eDevotional is written each week by a team of volunteers from Timberlake Church. |
