 I gasped in awe, positively spell-bound, stuck in my tracks. For a brief moment, I closed my eyes, breathed deeply of the antiquity that surrounded me, felt the weight of silence close down upon me. Is this real? Palacio Real, Madrid, España This moment of awe-struck wonder occurred in the Royal Palace throne room. I was positively giddy. I've been in a few ancient buildings, but standing in the king of Spain's throne room arrested my heart big time!  photo credit: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/450641506434449484/ Indeed the palace itself took my breath away! It houses over 3000 rooms including a stunning area of the basement that displays armory and weapons dating back to the 1200s. From the decorative walls and ceilings of the palace, the various art collections and artifacts, the nooks and crannies, the untold doors and its sheer size alone, this royal palace is nothing short of spectacular in every historical sense. Love and faithfulness keep a king safe; through love his throne is made secure. Prov. 20:28 But I want to get right to the point. While I stood in that throne room of the Royal Palace in Madrid, Spain, I kept thinking over and over how--in a spiritual sense--I have access to the very Throne Room of the King of all kings. This is an amazing truth! This royal standing boasts royal privileges that have been passed down from generation to generation. I asked myself, "Do you take advantage of these honors? Do you really know what this means, Victoria?" Do you remember how reluctant God was to give His people a real-life king? The human heart craves, and unfortunately, for most of us, practically any "king" will do. I've a confession. Keeping God seated on the throne of my heart is a tug-of-war battle for me. If I am not careful, I find myself bending my knee to idols, such as selfishness, pride, and fear. And, boy, do I pay them allegiance and attention. They are in near constant battle to take their seat, and they beckon me to come near and bow down. I lose sight of the fact that I have royal blood flowing through my spiritual veins.  It is not uncommon for me to make a plan, a very good plan, and then to execute it. I don't even ask God what He thinks. My own morality sits on the throne. I do what I think is right. In this way, I keep God in my debt. Let that sink in. Do you expect God to do great things for you because of the great things you have done for Him? This is idolatry. We are the ones who are indebted to God. He made the ultimate sacrifice on your behalf and on mine. He was a King all right, but He came as a Lamb.  For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; ‘he will lead them to springs of living water.' ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Rev. 7:17 Biblically, God's enduring and eternal throne is associated with justice, righteousness, judgment, love, faithfulness, sovereign power, dignity, majesty, glory, and victory. Around this throne is where I want to operate and do life business. I want to make daily decisions here, get advice here, and pour out my concerns here. Let's take the Biblical example of Esther--how did she approach her king (8:3-5)? She fell at his feet, weeping, with three desires:
These are the very privileges we have as Christians before the throne of God.
Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Heb. 4:16  photo credit: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/124834220899385522/ It is an amazing thought to realize that you and I, Christian, have direct, instant access to our Creator. We don't have to pay to be admitted to see Him. We don't have to wait in line to get to His throne. We don't have to be handed a scepter to speak to Him. There is no camera on us and no security guard impeding our path and watching our every move. We only need to step toward Him. We draw near to Him. We confess our transgressions, asking for His mercy and grace. And, He, our Royal Heavenly Father, extends to us His great love. This love flows directly from His heart and is Living Water to our very soul and being. We will find that He is pleased with us. He favors us. He will guide us in every decision we make. But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 1 Pet. 2:9  Reader, is God the King of your heart? And if He is, does your life bear witness to your royal lineage? In other words, what does it mean to you that you, Christian, have a royal heritage? How does it make a difference in the day-to-day of your life?
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