The Nose Ring by Jeff Wiles

“Daddy, can I get a nose ring for my birthday?”

No parenting manuals had prepared me for this request from my teenage daughter. At first, I thought she was kidding, but she wasn’t. She was serious. So serious that she came with a list of reasons justifying her request.

Suddenly I thought of the verse, Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16 KJV). Now I was not God, and I certainly wasn’t sitting on any type of throne. But I was Emily’s father, and she had definitely come boldly into my presence.

I wonder if we come that boldly into the presence of God. For some of us, marching right into God’s presence might seem disrespectful. But Emily’s boldness was not an act of disrespect. Instead, her request affirmed two very important qualities. One, that we had a relationship even though she was a teenager. She knew I loved her, and I always would…even if I didn’t grant her request. And secondly, her boldness indicated confidence in me to grant her requests. After all, the nose ring was not the first request she’d ever made to me. She had made many requests, and many had been granted.

So can we come boldly into the presence of God? Absolutely. If we have a relationship with Him through Jesus Christ, we can. And we don’t have to be scared to ask Him for things. He is more than willing to give us good things (Matthew 7:11).

Don’t be afraid to enter into God’s presence. He loves you, and He doesn’t mind your requests even when they may seem awkward. He wants us in His presence. That’s why He sent His son.

Prayer: Gracious God of mercy and glory, we praise You for the awesome privilege of bringing our requests to Your throne with the assurance that You hear and answer according to Your divine plan for us.

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