Back Away From...

“Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
Hebrews 4:16

In our house my husband does the yard work, this includes pruning the hedges, bushes and trees. I know they need to be pruned so that they stay healthy and grow properly, but I still like them to look natural. So every once in a while when he is out pruning something and it looks like a little too much might get pruned, I say “Back away from the tree” sometimes that works and the pruning stops, but sometimes it doesn’t and the pruning continues. Sometimes we are like that when we approach God. We lay something down, ask for His assistance and then on our way out we pick our concerns back up and take them with us even when God has asked us to back away from them. 

At church as we have been studying Paul’s letter to the Philippians we have been talking about how important it is to change our perspective on life and the world around us. Pastor Steve Ingold challenged us to change the filter we look through and Pastor Steve Madsen asked us to choose the illogical peace that is attainable only from God. Ok easier said than done - I know. Still we are given the instructions that should help us do that. We are told to “To be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). Paul tells the Philippians “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Philippians 4:6). The bottom line is that when we approach the throne we are to lay down the negatives of our lives and back away leaving them there and taking with us instead all of the positives God has ready for us including the illogical peace that we can only get from Him.

This week, approach the throne of grace with confidence and back away from discontentment. Back away from fear. Back away from the lies this world whispers in your ear. Back away from wrong choices and responses. Back away from darkness and as you back away from all of these things remember to pick up peace, love, faith, joy, truth and light. 

A Prayer
Father - help us to change our perspective and claim the peace you have for us no matter what we are facing. Thank you that we can approach Your throne and lay our needs and requests down at Your feet. Help us to leave them there as we back away. Grant us Your peace and help us hold on to it even in the midst of life’s storms. In the name of Jesus we pray continually - Amen.