The Story of the Love... and the Throne

God spoke to me at church on Sunday. He did so intellectually through a message, and then emotionally through a song. The song is one I know well, a hymn entitled "Before the Throne of God Above." The lyrics are posted here. I encourage you to read them. Read them slowly, and as you read, create a picture in your mind of what the words describe. I have sung this song countless times over the years, but never did I pay close enough attention that I truly grasped their meaning. I pray that today, you will pay attention and learn something about Jesus Christ, our Lord who intercedes for us.

Before the throne of God above, 

I have a strong and 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.

When Satan tempts me to despair,

and tells me of the guilt within,

upwards 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.

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 hidden with Christ on High

With Christ, my Savior and my God.

In case you skimmed or completely skipped over the lyrics to see what else I wrote (even though I told you not to), maybe this  paraphrase/elaboration will make real. Because it is real... very real.

Here you are, standing in the throne room of the perfect and holy God. It is judgment day, and you shake with fear knowing that you are guilty beyond reprimand. But into the room walks a man, who somehow appears just as radiant as the judge sitting on the throne. His name is Love. Amidst your fear you notice that on his hands, there are scars stained with blood, and with a shock, you see that the blood spells out the letters of your own name. He looks into your eyes and all your fear vanishes, because you can feel the immense power of Love all around you. He steps between you God, and you know that while Love is there, no harm will come to you.

Now you are back in your bedroom. You think about your recently cleared browser history, the carefully hidden liquor bottle in our closet, or the hateful text message you just sent to the girl who used to be your best friend. You have never felt guilt like this before... you will never be strong enough to obey God. You are a wretched and pitiful creature doomed to failure. Suddenly, you feel compelled to open your Bible and it falls open to the story of the cross, where Jesus Christ took the punishment for your sin. You realize that the man called Love whom you met in the courtroom gave his life for you, and that his death satisfied the wrath of the judge sitting on the throne. Because of Love's sacrifice, God has already pardoned you.

Love... how can you understand Love like this? You gaze upon His face, awestruck by his radiant perfection. He will never change, never run out of glory, and never withhold grace. He is the very definition of glory and of grace. As you marvel, He reaches out and places you on a throne. A throne? How is it that you, the defendant in what was sure to be an unfriendly trial, have been seated on a throne next to Love? Because when Love died, Love bought you. He bought your life with His.

Will you choose to step off the throne and go back to your computer, back to the bottle, or back to just being angry inside? Or will you choose to live in Love, sitting on a throne as His adopted son or daughter? You cannot choose to live in both places. Will you make Him your Lord?