This morning, I noted some special instructions about entering the presence of the Lord. Now I know we can enter God’s presence with confidence–at any time and in any condition–because of Jesus. Consider Hebrews 10:9: “Therefore, brothers and sisters. . .we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus” and Ephesians 1:12 where we learn that, because of Jesus, and “in him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.”
So we know we approach God freely and confidently because of Jesus. But what else? In Psalm 95:2, I look carefully at this beautiful invitation: “Let us coming his presence with thanksgiving.” Thanksgiving! Often, I come into the presence of the Lord with worrying, complaining, or asking. But today I start with thanksgiving.
Then, I read the second invitation a few verses later to “come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!”
I think about bowing down and literally kneeling before the Lord. It’s such a posture of submission, dependency, and honor. But do we do it? Right now, we can kneel down and physically bow before God as we begin our thanksgiving.
I consider how these two invitations—to thanksgiving and to kneeling—add so much to our practice of entering God’s presence.