THE THRONE OF GRACE. Ooooh sounds pretty deep huh? Well, when I awoke this morning I was dealing with an issue and for whatever reason I found myself subconsciously internalizing the lie that God didn’t care and I needed to handle this issue on my own. As I was “hiding” I felt God’s eyes on me like—what the heck are you doing?! When I finally gave him a glimpse of my face like “who, me?,” He said my name in the same way a parent tells a child for the last time to come inside for dinner—“Come boldly to the throne of grace.”

I paused for a moment…startled, and somewhat shocked by the stern love in His voice. I decided I better make a run for it-in His direction. Boy oh boy, am I glad I did.

He proceeded to tell me, “I can handle all of your problems. Do you think I am big enough?” I felt stupid that I was being asked this question. Obviously the answer was yes, but if the answer was so simple, then why was I hiding? Next He immediately showed me what appeared to be heaven in the form of a massive CIA like type agency. Perhaps God used this imagery for me because he knows I like things like that—Hollywood scale organizations and structure—well laid plans. This organization was made up of what appeared to be angels. Some looked like your typical textbook angel and others looked like special suit wearing agents all committed to our lives here on earth. I got the overwhelming sense that we mattered. Bear with me…Like a real CGI movie we panned over the entire operation of offices and settled on a certain room, “my room.” There were agents gathered around this table, discussing all of “my issues”, not just the one I was worried about either, but all of them and they discussed them in great detail with the concern of not one but 12 fathers! I mattered and they were well acquainted with what was bothering me. Loving me was easy for them and their plans to heal and help me were creative, strategic. The Father was broadcasting/communing with them from a big flat screen at the front of the room-involved in every detail. Such love I thought. How could I hide? They’re watching my every move and best of all they’re on my side.

“Come boldly to the throne of Grace.” I can still hear His loving rebuke. What does that mean to you? For me, today it means our Heavenly Dad rules and in His hand you wont find harshness and punishment but favor we could never earn. His throne is a place of safety we can run to, not from. He chastised me—“come here! I love you!” And all was right in my world! He was a safe place, my safe place. Is He yours?

Today I kiss the Son, for granting us all access to the concerned Eyes that found me this morning wandering around my own “garden” as it were. I kiss the Son for the Voice that called me by name. And I kiss the Son for the beautiful throne of Grace, the friendly, lovingly paternal throne of Grace! He can startle me anytime.

Now that we know what we have—Jesus, this great High Priest with ready access to God—let’s not let it slip through our fingers. We don’t have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He’s been through weakness and testing, experienced it all—all but the sin. So let’s walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help. (Hebrews 4:14-16)