You're Invited

"Let us therefore come boldly to the throne, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in the time of need." Hebrews 4:16

When I was young going to a birthday party was a big deal for me. I lived in a small community in Oklahoma called Mountain View, so there was just a small handful of other kids I got to play with and do stuff with. I often got invitations to go to a birthday party, which was common since everyone knew everyone by their first name. One day I got this invitation to go to a party for a kid I knew who was not even in kindergarten yet. I think I was in the second grade. So I went and when I got there, I didn't see anyone I knew. It was just a bunch of toddlers about 3-5 years old. I was seven. So I felt a little out of place. When they started opening presents and playing games things felt awkward for me and I eventually got up and left.

For the rest of my younger, teenage, pre-adult years I got invited to several functions. I went to most of them and just kind of hung around in the back feeling like a social nuisance to everyone else. Some of the time I was asked to join in on a game only because they needed one more person, not because they wanted me to.

I know as you are reading this, it does not sound very encouraging, but keep reading. This how many people in the Body of Christ view their relationship with God and His Son. They feel like social nuisances, they do not feel like the belong to anything or anyone. They often felt they were bothering God when they asked for something. I have some good news for you. We have a promise in God's word that we are special to Him, we are important to Him, and most of all we wants us to participate in the things that He has designed for us, not because He needs someone and He has no other choice but you, but because He loves us and is excited when we get involved in the things that He has designed for us.

For me it was a big deal to get invited to attend something like a wedding or birthday or anniversary celebration. I felt like I was an important person whenever I got an invitation.

What is the significance of an invitation?

AN INVITATION IS AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF RECOGNITION:

When I get an invitation in the mail or in this day of age, email it is generally an announcement of something that is going on and my presence at this event is requested. Now, I get invitations all the time on Facebook or from an email from someone I don't even know. A true invitation is going to come from someone who knows you personally. There are some invitations I get from high school classmates or from church friends asking me to attend a function they have planned. Why are they sending me this invitation? They personally recognize you and they know you and want you to participate in something that they have created.

Hebrews 4:16 first tells "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne…" We have a personal invitation from our Heavenly Father to just come and be with Him. He don't have to get permission to come because God's word already says "COME" God has sent us an invitation to just come into His presence. Notice in this verse that Paul did not attach anything to this invitation. Paul did not say "Repent and boldly come to the throne" Some invitations I get ask me to bring something, or to give something. But God has sent us an invitation to come to Him with nothing but ourselves. The best thing I like about this invitation is that it says "boldly". We don't have to be ashamed when we come to God. We don't have to consider our worthiness when we come to God. We have an all out right to come to his throne simply because He said "COME". In other words you can walk in and act like you own the place. You are recognized when you are in God's presence. He recognizes you the very second you come in and He is there to greet you.

A lot of us don't see that in God. I personally have struggled with this, and sometimes still do. But I know that my Heavenly Father gets excited when I come to Him. I don't always feel too excited when I come to Him. That is because we have something called a sin-consciousness that is constantly reminding is of how bad we are. We have an enemy, Satan, who wants to be reminded of how bad we are. Satan does not want us to get into God's presence. Satan knows once we get in we are coming out with something that is going to be harmful to him and detrimental to his kingdom.