Paul writes, "Therefore (or because of everything he has written in the first four chapters), since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God."
Because we are connected to God through faith, we now have the privilege of coming into God's presence day and night. 24/7.
Incredible!
Because of what Jesus did for me, I have direct access to him!
Let's suppose I went to Washington D.C. and showed up outside the White House and asked to see the President.
When the guards asked who I am, suppose I say, "Just tell the President that George is here to see him."
You and I both know that my visit with the president is not going to happen. I'm not a personal friend or a family member. I don't have an appointment.
But suppose one of the President's daughters needed some lunch money. She could just walk in and say, "Dad, I need some money for lunch." And he would give her the money. No one would say anything.
Paul writes, that you and I have that kind of direct access to the Father. When we come to Jesus Christ, we are admitted into the very presence of God himself!
Yet, this access is not only direct it is also effective.
This truth is taught by Ephesians
3:12. It emphasizes that through faith in Christ “we have boldness and access
with confidence.” Confidence in what? Obviously that he will hear us and answer
our prayers according to his wise and perfect will.
We can pray wrongly, of course, and we often do. But when we pray according to the wise will of God, we can be confident that he will both hear us and answer our prayers.
My favorite story in this respect is about Martin Luther and his good friend and assistant Frederick Myconius.
We can pray wrongly, of course, and we often do. But when we pray according to the wise will of God, we can be confident that he will both hear us and answer our prayers.
My favorite story in this respect is about Martin Luther and his good friend and assistant Frederick Myconius.
One day Myconius became sick and was expected
to die within a short time.
On his bed he wrote a loving farewell note to
Luther; but when Luther received it he sat down instantly and wrote this reply:
“I command you in the name of God to live, because I still have need of you in
the work of reforming the church. . . . The Lord will never let me hear that
you are dead, but will permit you to survive me. For this I am praying. This is
my will, and may my will be done, because I seek only to glorify the name of
God.”
The words seem shocking to us, because we live in less fervent times. But Luther’s prayer was clearly of God and therefore effective. For, although Myconius had already lost the ability to speak when Luther’s letter came, in a short time he revived, and he lived six more years, surviving Luther by two months.
Can we be bold in prayer, as Luther was?
The words seem shocking to us, because we live in less fervent times. But Luther’s prayer was clearly of God and therefore effective. For, although Myconius had already lost the ability to speak when Luther’s letter came, in a short time he revived, and he lived six more years, surviving Luther by two months.
Can we be bold in prayer, as Luther was?
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