Approaching the Throne

This morning my nine-year-old, J, had to face the unthinkable (at least to a 4th grader).  Last Thursday as she waited outside for school to start, she got her library book out of her backpack to read (not sure she read much).  When the students scurried inside to start the day, she left her book behind.  She didn't say anything about it until last night when we were gathering school items for Monday morning (We had to find lost books for her two sisters, too).

So today, I walked into school with her to look for her book.  We checked the office.  She talked to the librarian.  We dug through lunch boxes, jackets, and folders in the lost and found.  No book.  Then the unfathomable.  She had to approach her teacher and admit she had lost her book.  I walked with her to the classroom, and waited outside the door.  Her teacher, Mrs. P., welcomed her to class.  "Did you forget a book for an assignment?  Come on in and finish it," she said.  J, looking down at the ground and shuffling her feet, took the dreaded step into her classroom.  "No," J said.  She then, very timidly with a downcast face, explained the situation to her teacher.

Now, Mrs. P.'s response.  Mrs. P. has the reputation of being very strict.  She made a girl stay in for recess for humming.  As J weeped last night, she anticipated she'd have to stay in for recess for two weeks!  To our surprise, Mrs. P. said, "Did you check the bookshelf?  Go look and see if it is there.  Accidents happen.  Don't make something small into something big."  I couldn't see J's face, but I'm sure she felt relief as she sauntered over to the bookshelf and found another copy of the book.  (We're still not sure if it was the one she lost).  I thanked Mrs. P. for her mercy, hugged J., and left.

J's experience of approaching her teacher reminded me that we must approach God.  Unlike J's careless mistake, easily overlooked by her teacher.  Our purposeful disobedience toward a perfect, and just God must result in punishment.  The punishment required: death (Romans 6:23 says, For the wages of sin is death...).

No wonder people are surprised when they hear that we can approach the throne of God with confidence.  The Bible says, in Hebrews 4:16, "Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

The throne of grace in this verse is the very throne of God in heaven mentioned 37 times in the book of Revelation (Biblestudytools.com).

The verses just before Hebrews 4:16 explain that Jesus is our high priest that makes it possible for us to stand before the throne of grace with confidence (may blog about high priests sometime...Love it!).  

What about you?

Will you approach the throne by yourSELF or with your SAVIOR?  Jesus wants to represent you as your high priest.

Will you approach the the throne with GOOD WORKS or GRACE?  God offers you grace, a gift through Jesus.  Romans 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."  (emphasis mine)
 
Will you approach the throne as a COWARD or with CONFIDENCE? Without Jesus, you will coward before a judging God.

Choose a Savior, Grace, and Confidence today!