Present Grace

Charitie Lees Bancroft wrote a beautiful hymn called "Before the Throne of God Above." One of my pastors at church recently quoted it, and this line struck me: 

Before the throne of God above
I have a strong, a perfect plea;
A great High Priest whose name is Love
Who ever lives and pleads for me.

Isn't that a beautiful thought? At the point that your are most ashamed, most caught in your own fallenness, your selfishness, your failings, Jesus is interceding for you before the Judge at the very moment!

"Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us." Romans 8:34

You see why the Gospel is so much more than an entryway to heaven? It's what we stand on in our entire relationship with Him!

I'm reading a book called Relationships: A Mess Worth Making by Timothy Lane and Paul David Tripp. They write, "You and I need the cleansing work of Jesus' life and death, and resurrection applied to our lives daily. You can't live past grace. You need present grace."  

The authors are expounding on the story in John 13 where, at the last meal he shared with his disciples, Jesus washes their feet. He says, "If I do not wash you, you have no share with me." Peter logically and enthusiastically asks Jesus to wash his whole body, not just his feet.

Jesus replies, "The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you [referring to Judas]" (John 13:8-10). 

Friends, if you have put your trust in the life, death, and resurrection of King Jesus, then you are clean. All you need is for Jesus to daily "wash you" as He "ever lives and pleads" for you. 

Let's drink up from his grace daily, friends. It's provided, paid for, and free. 

Over the next few weeks I want to look at what DAILY GRACE looks like in my relationships, and I look forward to sharing with you what I'm learning!

Here's the rest of that song (and you can listen to Shane and Shane sing it here). 

My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart;
I know that while in heav'n He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart.

When Satan tempts me to despair,
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward 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!

At one with Him, I cannot die,
My soul is purchased by His blood;
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ, my Savior and my God.