“Can you come to my birthday party?” “I have two tickets to the game; can you make it?” “We’re going on a boat trip next week. Do you want to join us?” We all love to receive invitations, and here is one that is hard to refuse: “Can you come to the throne of grace?”
Every day, God invites us to come and receive gifts from him. Today’s reading from Hebrews mentions specifically the gifts of mercy and help in time of need, but God’s invitation includes a much wider array of gifts than the ones we seek at crisis points. Every day, he wants to give us gifts like peace, encouragement, hope, joy, grace to forgive, and insights into his path for our lives. There is no end to the gifts God wants to give us!
If God is so generous, and if his invitation is so warm and open, why do we hesitate? Could it be fear? In the ancient Near East, it was often considered dangerous to approach the throne of a king. The Book of Esther reflects a Persian tradition that daring even to come into the king’s presence could lead to death (Esther 4:11). Certainly God is more awe inspiring and fearsome than an earthly emperor! It’s instructive that the warning didn’t stop Esther: She took the risk in order to intercede for her people. And the king heard her, granted her request, and even raised her above all other people.
This is how it will be for us when we accept God’s invitation and place ourselves in his presence. He will put his arms around us, draw us to himself, and ask us what we need. Then, with a knowing smile on his face, he will open his box of treasures and give us exactly the right gifts—even gifts we didn’t think we needed.
So what are you waiting for? On this day of sabbath blessing, don’t be afraid to approach Almighty God. He is your Father!
“Lord, I come to your throne with confidence, knowing that I can ask you for gifts of grace to help me today.”
Isaiah 53:10-11; Psalm 33:4-5,18-20,22; Mark 10:35-45