Nougat 26

I am not a lover of the doctor’s office. I even try to avoid the annual check up. But, when my system is down, after trying a few home remedies, I’m usually willing to make an appointment. The thing is, I sometimes feel like I’m improving before I see the doctor, because it takes a while to get that appointment. But if desperate enough, I’ll make it, and then I’ll even wait the while. Today’s Holy Nougat tells a different story about when we need to be with God.

“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 ‭NLT‬‬

God is so meticulous. Rest assured, that ‘fine print’ we sometimes need – God’s got it covered already. For example, when the Children of Israel were sojourning through the Wilderness, they were given the blueprint for the Ark of the Covenant (see Exodus 25:10-22). This was to become a critical aspect of their worship then and thereafter. You might say, ‘but we knew that.’, and you are right, but did you consider that within the Ark there’s the Mercy Seat?

One source suggests, that ’the mercy seat represented God’s presence among his people … and it was guarded by cherubim‘. In other words, not everyone had access. And, even when one went, it was with fear because Jesus had not yet come to fulfill God’s Law, and it symbolized judgement rather than favor in the minds of many. We can easily grasp the Jesus impact; but here’s a thought – have we opted to zero in on God’s judgement to the exclusion of God’s mercy?

Let’s remember, the God who visits on each of us our just reward offers room for repentance each and every time. When the Children of Israel strayed, the punishment was hardly ever immediate. And each year, during Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, the high priest was permitted to offer sacrifices for the prior year’s sins. That would suggest that God waited for at least a year before exacting judgement on the people. Kool huh

If we then have individual access to God’s throne for ourselves, and it is already sprinkled with the Blood of Jesus, it stands to reason that we also have unlimited, automatic access to the Mercy Seat. Whether or not it’s guarded by cherubim!

Now remember, mercy isn’t only about forgiveness if it represents access to God’s throne. It is also about the permission to have access – 24/7! In the book of Esther, she required special permission to approach the king, her husband. But if he extended his scepter towards her, she had access outside his schedule. Mercy, in that sense grants access. Hence blind Bartimaeus cried for ‘mercy’. In Mark 10:46-52, Bartimaeus ignored the naysayers and received Mercy. That is, Jesus allowed Himself to be interrupted by Bartimaeus to effect Bartimaeus’ healing.

We have this kind of access.

Permanently

Because of Jesus!

We no longer need a human intermediary – whether it is a sin problem, or access to approach God’s throne.

Now that we remember (/know we have unlimited access), will we still wait for an annual check in?

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May all we seek be found in Christ