Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence. (Ephesians 3:12) In Old Testament times, the high priest would prepare an offering to take into the Holy of Holies (an inner chamber within the Tabernacle of Moses). He'd enter with more than a little trepidation because of the presence of God that dwelt there. The holiness of God was the very thing that could be their undoing, especially if they came with unprepared hearts and hands. If the high priest entered without preparing himself, he could be struck dead! No wonder he took the time to prepare! Now, we enter boldly into God's presence, having our hearts prepared by the Spirit of God that indwells us. His presence goes with us - in us, in fact - because of the finished work of Christ. What does that 'bold access' to the presence of God mean? It means we no longer need to bring sacrifices to 'atone' for our sins. We are already forgiven. We now enter readily...
It was Barack Obama who said, "We are and always will be a nation of immigrants. We were strangers once, too." Confucious said, "The strength of a nation derives from the integrity of the home." We must never forget that nation after nation has fallen, only to be replaced by another who comes after, making those who remain 'foreigners' in that nation. What makes a nation great? If we trust what God says to us, it is the pursuit of all manner of good and the trust in his ways. Godliness makes a nation great, but sin is a disgrace to any people. (Proverbs 14:34) William Penn reminds us, "True godliness does not turn men out of the world, but enables them to live better in it and excites their endeavors to mend it." Mending fences has always been part of God's economy. He trusts us to seek out godly practices, replicating them in our homes, and then changing our communities through those godly actions. It is what truly will make any nation great...