Do Not Enter?

Old-school comedian Groucho Marx once tried to join a country club but was refused because he was Jewish.

He reportedly said, "That's OK... I wouldn't join a club that would have me as a member anyway!"

Restricted places. I come across them often. I can't get into certain places in the local court house, in the police station, in the hospital, in the television news room, in the doctor's parking garage, in... well, you get the point.

Since we bounce off of restricted places every day, some of us assume God's heavenly throne room must be the same. Only the super-religious are welcome. Or only the very, very spiritual. Or only martyrs who've died for the faith.

I guess we got those feelings honestly. In the Old Testament, only the ordained High Priest could enter God's sanctuary. And he could only enter once a year with specially prepared blood sacrifices and uniquely formulated incense. If he made a mistake in the divine ritual, he died.

Besides that, most of us feel guilty and inadequate when thinking about approaching God - the Creator and Ruler of the whole universe, the One who knows everything about us.

So, is God's throne room a restricted place, or can normal, flawed people visit Him when they wish?

"Therefore, since we have a great high priest... Jesus the Son of God... Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." (Hebrews 4:14-16 NIV).

Amazing! Did you catch that? As disciples of Jesus, we can "approach the throne of grace with confidence." We can find a welcome in the most intimate room in the headquarters of the whole universe.

In fact our Father has "raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus..." (Ephesians 2:6 NIV).

And that allows us to "have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus..." (Hebrews 10:19 NIV).

How amazing! The Most Holy Place has no "Do Not Enter" sign.

I plan to spend more time in there.