A Bold Shield

Ephesians 3:7-12

Verse 12  In Him and through faith in Him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.

    As we close out our week talking about the shield of faith we look to one of the greatest benefits of being in God’s army with such a tool.  In our passage today Paul is telling his Ephesian friends what a gift it is to be one of God’s chosen.  He recognized the gift grace is and was making sure they knew it too.  He especially found it important for them to see what that gift included for the people of God.

    We can see from this passage how Paul understood both grace and faith are important to our serving the Lord.  But notice how in verse 12 Paul says our faith allows us to not only approach God but how we can do it boldly with confidence.  While a lower ranked soldier in a regular military unit wouldn’t have direct access at any time to the top official, as soldiers in God’s army we have access to Him all the time.

    This access we have with God isn’t merely an open door policy.  This is about having the ability and right to go to the Father without having to go through a chain of command.  We not only have the ability to talk to Him any time we want but we also have the right to come to Him boldly.  That means we don’t have to come to Him nervously thinking He will punish us for talking to Him.  There needs to be no nervousness because He isn’t some gruff person waiting to take us out at first uttered word.  This is where faith comes in.

    Paul makes it clear how it is our faith which enables us to come to Him boldly.  We don’t have to be afraid of Him because our faith in Him is based on our relationship with Him.  Yes, He is and always will be the God of heaven and earth but He has called us to be His and that is what opens the door of access to Him.  He called us by His grace which gives us the freedom in Him we need to come boldly to Him with our requests.

    There is an important detail to understand about freedom because of His grace.  While He knows our every flaw, the truth is we won’t recognize His grace in our lives if we haven’t already come to know his forgiveness, a forgiveness we have from coming to Him in repentance.  When we are under His grace we have already taken that first step towards Him which is allowed since Christ’s death on the cross broke the barrier between us and His perfect holiness.  His death is the key which opened the door to true relationship with the God of the universe.  He is worthy of our faith.

Making It Personal

    How has faith in God given you the courage to go boldly to Him?  What things do you go boldly to Him with?  What things should you be going to Him with which you haven’t had the courage to before?

Making It Personal Kids

    What do you think you can talk to Jesus about?  Are there things you don’t think you can talk to Him about?  What do you need to talk to Him about today?

Closing Prayer

    Father, it can be hard to understand how You, the God of heaven and earth, would be willing to have us come to You boldly.  Help us know You in such a way our faith will draw us boldly to Your throne with all which burden our hearts.  In Jesus’ name, amen.