Before the Throne

Are you a worshiper?  Many Christians will immediately think of church, or a stadium rally with thousands in song.  Is worship just found where there is a kickin’ band, or in a church where the preacher is passionate and persuasive?  

Worship is the experience of God’s amazing and powerful Presence. He settles over you, bringing awe and serenity.  This can happen in church, or on the beach, or in the dark of night in your bedroom! We should desire to live in His Presence  all of the time, but everything in our daily lives conspires to keep us from living with an awareness of the Presence of the Holy Spirit. Headaches, heartaches, car trouble, stormy weather, disagreeable people, the blare of media – the list is lengthy – all become distractions from being ‘before the Throne.‘   

If my own life is any gauge, we can go a whole day rushing from job to job,  putting out fires,  coping with the ‘stuff’ that comes down the road-  with little or no thought of God’s wonderful Presence.   

But, we should not accept that kind of life as a normal Christian life!  The Word reminds us to “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, NKJV)    Perhaps your first thought on reading that line is – “Sure, I could do that if I lived in a monastery, but not with my life!”   Does the Lord God ask the impossible from us? No, He does not, so …

There are a some purposeful, conscious choices that keep us in His Presence.  

The first is to choose obedience.

Selfishness, filthiness, greediness are a few of the things that move us away from being in a prayerful attitude.  I know the voice of the Spirit that says to me, “Stop what you’re doing right now!”   Or, He says, “Refocus your mind, now!”  If I obey, His peace remains.  If I resist, the serenity of living in His Presence ebbs away.  

Then, choose joy.  

The person who chooses joy is not fake, nor does he live in denial of the pain that comes his way.  But, he refuses to continually gripe. The old hymn says, “oh what peace we often forfeit all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.”  If we’re broken, we can weep and through our tears find the joy of the Lord.  His Presence is found, not in resignation to fate, but in acceptance of grace for each day.

And, we  pray continually. 

The more a Christian learns to live ‘in the Presence,’  or ‘before the Throne,’ the more he treasures it.  This prayerful life does not require words alone. It is an attitude that keeps our hearts aware that God is here and He is near.

Then, there is the choice to be thankful!   
The Enemy of our souls does his utmost to make us discontent. He works to cause us to live in envy of other’s place. The 10th commandment  says “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”(Exodus 20:17, NIV)    If we want what belongs to another- even if it is his spiritual experience – contentment is lost. With the discontent, we stop looking up and start looking around, a sure way to step away from the Throne!  

The Bible says that we are the ‘temples of the Holy Spirit.’    We are ‘God’s house.’     Wouldn’t it be a shame to claim to be a living temple, yet be empty of the Presence of the One who makes the temple glorious? 

Here are words from the Word for your meditation today.  May He keep you close as you choose to live ‘before the Throne!’

Then he told me, “These are those who come from the great tribulation,

and they’ve washed their robes, scrubbed them clean in the blood of the Lamb.

That’s why they’re standing before God’s Throne. 
They serve him day and night in his Temple.

The One on the Throne will pitch his tent there for them: no more hunger, no more thirst, no more scorching heat.

The Lamb on the Throne will shepherd them, will lead them to spring waters of Life.
And God will wipe every last tear from their eyes.”   (Revelation 7:14-17, The Message)

______________________

Before the throne of God above,

I have a strong, a perfect plea,

A great High Priest whose name is Love,

Who ever lives and pleads for me.

My name is graven on His hands,

My name is written on His heart.

I know that while in heaven He stands,

No tongue can bid me thence depart,

No tongue can bid me thence depart.

When Satan tempts me to despair,

And tells me of the guilt within,

Upward I look and see Him there,

Who made an end of all my sin.

Because the sinless Savior died,

My sinful soul is counted free.

For God the Just is satisfied

To look on Him and pardon me,

To look on Him and pardon me.

Behold Him there the Risen Lamb,

My perfect spotless righteousness,

The great unchangeable I Am,

The King of glory and of grace,

One with Himself I cannot die.

My soul is purchased by His blood,

My life is hid with Christ on high,

With Christ my Savior and my God,

With Christ my Savior and my God.

Before The Throne Of God Above

Cook, Vikki / Bancroft, Charitie Lees

© 1997 PDI Worship (Admin. by The Copyright Company)