Do you ever encounter roadblocks when approaching God? Perhaps you are held back by feelings of shame or unworthiness for things you have done. Maybe you feel embarrassment because you have neglected him lately. Or maybe your hesitancy isn’t so much a matter of attitude, but you just aren’t sure how to go about approaching him. I am going to share some truths from scripture that have helped me to enter into God’s presence.
Knowing What God Did for Me
“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus” (Hebrews 10:19).
The curtain to the Most Holy Place has been destroyed. The Most Holy Place was the innermost sanctuary of the temple. The entire temple was God’s house and the Holy Place was an area within it reserved for only priests and other worship leaders. However, the Most Holy Place housed the Ark of the Covenant, the symbol of God’s presence. This room was so sacred that only the high priest could enter, and only once a year. Even then, if he was not properly prepared to come before God, he would die. The Most Holy Place was separated from the Holy Place by a curtain.
At the exact moment Jesus gave up his spirit, which signified he had completed his work on the cross, “the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom” (Matthew 27:51). Because it was torn from the top down, we know it was the work of God rather than man. Jesus’ act of sacrifice forever removed the barrier between us and the presence of God.
The King’s scepter is forever extended. In the book of Esther, an order was given to destroy all the Jews throughout the empire. Esther’s uncle, Mordecai, urged her to plead with the king to save her people. Even though she was the queen, the king’s law was that “any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned . . . be put to death. The only exception to this is for the king to extend the gold scepter to him and spare his life” (Esther 4:11). Though Esther hadn’t been summoned in over a month, she took a monumental risk and approached the king. When he saw her, he was pleased and held out his scepter to her.
I was contemplating this story long ago at a particularly difficult time of connecting with God. I was a wreck, certain that God did not want me in his presence. Through sobs, I begged him to extend his scepter to me. He impressed on my mind that he sacrificed his Son to show me that his summons of invitation for me is constant. When he sees me, he is filled with pleasure and his scepter of acceptance is forever extended.
Knowing What God Thinks of Me
It isn’t easy approaching someone when you aren’t sure what they think of you. You feel you need to be cautious with your words and actions for fear of offending them or being misunderstood. You may avoid the person altogether. However, we can know where we stand with God.
God chose you to be his child. “4For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will” (Ephesians 1:4-5).
Through Jesus, the Father has adopted us as his children. He did it because he wanted to, because it gives him pleasure. We are his chosen family and, therefore, “heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:17). Can you imagine the Father ever turning Jesus away when he wants to talk? He won’t turn you away, either.
Some TV dads have been good examples of our heavenly Father’s heart toward his children. Charles Ingalls (Little House on the Prairie), John Walton (The Waltons), and Jim Anderson (Father Knows Best) come to mind. They weren’t perfect, but when their children came with hurts, questions, joys, or just an experience to share, they were always present to comfort, guide, teach, or rejoice with them. They enjoyed every aspect of their relationship with each child. That’s how I picture God.
God wants you to come to him. James says if you come near to God, he will come near to you (James 4:8). If you move toward God, you will not push him away as if you were two like magnetic poles. He wants to be near you. “The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth” (Psalm 145:18).
Jesus has returned to the Father where he is preparing a place for us. He will come back and take us there to be with him (John 14:2-3). Even though the context is about an eternal home with him, I don’t believe he wants to spend eternity with us but keep us at a distance now. He wants us to be where he is—both now and in eternity.
Knowing How God Tells Me to Enter
The curtain has been torn, removing the physical barrier to God’s presence. And we know he wants us near him. But how do we actually enter. Here are some ways from God’s Word.
Enter God’s presence with thanksgiving and praise. “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name” (Psalm 100:4). Though the worshipers couldn’t enter the Most Holy Place or the Holy Place of the temple, they did pass through the gate into the courtyard to pray and offer sacrifices. The psalmist instructed them to enter with thanksgiving and praise.
That’s always a great way to come before God. Being grateful for everything he has done for us and everything he has given us. Praising him for who he is, for his goodness, faithfulness, righteousness. In doing so, we recognize he is God and we are not.
Enter God’s presence with freedom and confidence. “In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence” (Ephesians 3:12). If we have accepted the truth that Jesus died to set us free from sin, we can come to God free of guilt, shame, condemnation, or doubts. Being free from sin, we can come to God boldly, with confidence that he sees us as worthy.
Enter God’s presence with a sincere heart. “Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water” (Hebrews 10:22).
David was a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14), and he brought every emotion into God’s presence. Psalm 13 is an example of David in deep despair, feeling that God had abandoned him, impatient for God to move in his life. He didn’t hold anything back from God. But in his heart, he trusted in God’s unfailing love and goodness. He just needed to talk things through with God.
God wants us to come to him in honesty. He welcomes all we bring to him—rants, anger, confusion, questions, discouragement—as long as it’s real. As long as we’re sincerely seeking to know him and to understand his ways more fully.
Our humanness can cause us difficulty in connecting with God, but he has made it simple to approach him. He has removed all that formerly separated us from him, and he extends an open invitation to be where he is. Believe that he wants you there. Then enter his presence with thanksgiving and praise, freely and confidently, humbly and sincerely. Anytime.
Scripture quotations are from NIV.
Feature photo by cottonbro from Pexels
Brenda+Murphy
April 11, 2022Yes!!! What a good reminder. My struggles are usually when I feel like I’ve let him down. While I know he’s forgiven me it’s hard to forgive myself. Sigh. Thanks for reminding me that he’s always waiting with open arms, even when I’ve disappointed him for the millionth time.
bspencer
April 11, 2022You’re welcome, Brenda. I need the same reminder myself . . . often!