This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord. Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence. Ephesians 3:11-12 NLT
One of the great privileges we have as followers of Jesus and part of His body of believers, the Church, is that we have friends who are able to pray for us and share the burdens we have. They can lift us to God in prayer.
But an even greater privilege is the personal access to God Jesus has made possible for me. No one can pray more effectively for me than I can for myself. No one has a special “key card” or elite access to Almighty God that I do not have. The letter to the Ephesians was written by Paul who freely acknowledged who he had been before Jesus. He called himself “the chief of all sinners.” In his ignorant zeal against followers of Jesus, he had dedicated his life to wiping out this sect, persecuting, and even killing them. But when he met Jesus, the perfect Priest, and followed Him with His whole heart, He not only received perfect understanding and perfect forgiveness, but He also received perfect access to God’s presence. This is the access a dearly loved child has to his or her Father.
Paul assured every other person that because of Christ, believers have direct access to God without fear, a confidence that comes from faith and not personal merit. I don’t need anyone else to speak to God on my behalf. My ability to approach God in prayer is not limited by my own strength or worthiness, but by my faith in Christ. This is not a leave-a-message-and-wait-to- see-if-He-calls-me-back scenario. It is an open-door invitation to walk into God’s presence and speak with Him directly and confidently, any time.
Because of Jesus, your perfect Priest, pray with confidence. Approach God with boldness, not hesitancy or fear. When you talk to God, trust that His eyes are on you, He sees you and values you. Ask Him for strength, guidance, and wisdom, knowing He is listening.
Live with assurance. Think of this. Paul says you are part of God’s eternal plan. I don’t know about you, but just writing this and absorbing it into my soul makes me want to run around my house shouting. Let this give you courage and hope, even in difficult circumstances. You are no afterthought; you are a central part of God’s purpose. Our perfect Priest brought it to reality.
- Witness to God’s truth and wisdom. Live in a way that reflects Jesus’ wisdom and power to the world. Like Paul, be part of the mission to make Jesus known to everyone through your actions and words. It’s our privilege to lead others to Jesus.