“Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” ( Hebrews 4:16)
A throne has been described as a “ceremonial chair for a sovereign”. In cultures with Kings thrones were and are normally unapproachable, sarrounded with a certain mystic. An example is seen in the Bible when even a Queen could not just approach the thrrone of a King.
When newly crowned Queen Esther decided to go and face King Xerxes who was just about to order the extermination of her Hebrew peoples, she was most cautius. For the law was, “All the king’s officials and the people of the royal provinces know that for any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned the king has but one law: that they be put to death unless the king extends the gold scepter to them and spares their lives” ( Esther 4:11). Fortunately, she prayed, and this is how she was able to go before the King’s throne uninvited.
As Believers in Christ we have a King of Kings who sits on the highest of thrones, our Father in heaven, who reigns supreme over all the earth. But unlike other typical thrones couched with terror and fear, our God has paved a way for us to approch His throne through Christ our savior. What would be a throne of fear, where most would be afraid to approach, now we can approach His throne with confidence, as our leading verse says.
A throne has power. When Esther laid her need before King Xerxes, he offered, “What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be given you!” ( Exodus 5:3). Esther had her request granted and not only were the Jews spared, the treacherous Herman the instigator of wicked schemes, ended in gallows ( Esther 8).
Just as it were, where we too have a need, of any kind, whatsoever, we can approach that throne of the living God, through Christ our Lord and savior, and He will with His power, grant our requests, according to His will.
Prayer today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, today we approach your throne of grace with confidence, because the way has been paved through Christ our Lord and Savior, and may you meet everyone of us at their point of need, and grant your will to pass, this we pray in Jesus’ name.
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27/04/2024 - 28/04/2024 All day“As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God” (Psalm 42:1).
In the wildlife, a common feature is predatory animals chasing after less ferocious ones, which on a bad day become good dinner. Through the savannah plains of Africa the antelope tends to suffer that fate. After a long chase from a mighty lion, cheetah or leopard; antelopes that survive tend to retreat to a fresh water spot. There they gladly refresh their quench with streams of water.
King David, must have been more familiar with deer, as there are more common in the Northern Hemisphere. For us in the tropics we can substitute the deer with our antelope, commonly chased by predators. After a long chase, of course all pant for pints of water.
The significance of this metaphor is that whenever we encounter any situation that puts us on a chase, where do we run to! Habakuk 3:19 says, “The Lord God give my strength. He helps me run fast like deer. He leads me safely on the mountains” (Habakuk 3:19).
Two things of note here. The Lord can make us run as fast as the fastest antelope being chased by a predator to a well of safety. And of course, as we run, we have that the well of God to end up to and refresh ourselves! This is why David wrote, “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God” (Psalm 42:11).
Prayer today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, today like the antelopes of the wildlife I run to you, to that well of life, which refreshes my soul, this I pray in Jesus’ name!
