Verne Strickland Blogmaster / May 27, 2012
Scripture: "So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most." Hebrews 4:16
Tiptoeing around God
What's taboo in your household? For my mom's family, you couldn't talk about politics. It would just get too heated. For some it's religion, for others it's money, and so on. Everyone has their list of things you "just shouldn't talk about." The problem is we transfer that over to God...maybe more so even than anyone else. We think God is easily offended or only wants to hear certain praises over and over again. And so we only talk to Him about certain things, and the depth of our relationship isn't that, well...deep. But that's not how David saw Him, and David was the one person God called "a man after My own heart." Acts 13:22In fact, here's just some of the things David talked about to God:
- the gruesome details of his physical ailments Psalm 31
- how depressed he was Psalm 38
- how he wanted God to defend him against his enemies Psalm 35
- his deep regret for sins he had committed Psalm 51
- his wonder and amazement at God's creation Psalm 8
Your Perfect Parent
David knew—and God wants you to know—there's nothing too taboo to talk about with Him. God Himself, in the Bible, talks about sex, religion, politics, health, money, relationships, hopes, dreams, emotions, and more. One of the things I love about my mom is that I can talk to her about any emotion. Deep depression, extreme anxiety, fear, jealousy: there's nothing to which she says, "Oh no! I can't handle that!" Instead, she lets me vent, empathizes with me, and then helps me. And with my dad, there's no problem I could bring him that he wouldn't be big enough to help me with. Now that's just a miniscule picture of how incredibly loving and all-powerful God is!Like a compassionate mother, God says: "Can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for the child she has borne? But even if that were possible, I would not forget you!" Isaiah 49:15
And like a "Can-do-anything father", God says: "I am the Lord, the God of all the peoples of the world. Is anything too hard for Me?" Jeremiah 32:27
Feeling like Esther?
He wants you to come to Him as the loving and powerful God He is—everyday, for every need you have! But you might feel like Esther did, when she was facing her scariest moment. Her people were about to be exterminated, but she was so afraid to tell her husband, the king, because they hadn't talked in a while and she didn't know how he'd react. Maybe you feel that way with God: not having talked in a while and not knowing how He will receive you. But Mordecai, her uncle, pushed her to go talk to him, and here's what happened:On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the palace, in front of the king’s hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the hall, facing the entrance. When he saw Queen Esther standing in the court, he was pleased with her and held out to her the gold scepter that was in his hand. So Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter. Then the king asked, "What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be given you." (Esther 5:1-3)
God's Open-door Policy
I am pleased with you. What can I do for you? That is exactly what God says to you when you come to Him. He loves when you come to talk to Him, no matter what it's about. Maybe it's your brother's illness, or your broken heart, or what to do about a new job. There's no issue that's either too hard for God or too ugly. He has a completely open-door policy with you, His beloved child, and wants you to talk to Him! Jesus said to His followers, "At that time you won't need to ask Me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and He will grant your request because you use My name." John 16:33Come to Him Today!
What do you need to talk to God about today? Don't be afraid like Esther. The king was more than happy to grant her request! And your King, God, is even more happy to have you approach His throne and ask for what you need. I want you to picture God as your King on a great golden throne, and you coming in down a long runway to approach Him. Maybe you're nervous and don't know how He'll react. But then I want you to imagine a great big smile spreading across His face and Him saying, "I'm so happy to see you! What is it that you need? I love you so much!" How do you feel? And what would you say?Take a moment right now in the Comments to tell your King what you need from Him—the thing that's on your heart that maybe you've been afraid to talk about. Remember: there's nothing too taboo for God, and there's no bad time to approach Him. He loves you so much and wants you to feel comfortable talking to Him—all the time, starting today!
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