Before The Throne Of God Above

I have always loved the song in the title, it really gets to the bottom of what Christ did for us and what that means.  I have italicized and bolded some key phrases below that really grab me, and here's my thoughts on them...

Dying daily to our sinful nature, and every day claiming the blood of Christ is an ongoing, never-ending battle.  His sacrifice continually cloths us with grace, He "ever lives and pleads for me."  We accepted Christ as our Savior once, but it was a one time thing.  Every single time we approach the throne of God, we need to claim His righteousness as our own or God could not look upon us.  Our nature is dark with sin, and that darkness is not tolerated in His presence.  He "look[s] on Him and pardon[s] me."

Our sins have been paid for.  The greed or envy or hate or pride I feel tomorrow has already been paid for.  I need to be truly sorry for my sins, and I need to beg for mercy every time.  But when Christ climbed up on that cross, He knew what he was doing.  Your most despicable acts were already known.  There is nothing I can do in this lifetime that will make God sit back, and say "Oooh, I don't know about forgiving that one, it was a real doozy."  God knows the time you hated someone and committed murder in your mind, He knows about the time you considered yourself above every one else, He knows the lustful sins you committed in your heart.  Jesus died knowing exactly who we are and what we're made of.  He can forgive any sin, as long as you believe He can.

However, we are so stained with sin, so irreconcilably evil that God Himself cannot be in our presence.  Jesus had to die for us before we could dare come before God in prayer.  When God sees us, He sees perfection, because we are clothed in righteousness.  There is nothing we can do to earn it or deserve it, it just is.  Sometimes that fact humbles me so much, it seems almost impossible.  Such a priceless gift cannot come free to me, certainly there is some number of good things I must do to earn it, or a limit of bad things I can do before I lose it.  But nope, He "made an end of all my sin."  Forever.  That's amazing.

Anyway, I was just really feeling this song today and thought I'd share.


"Before the throne of God above / I have a strong and perfect plea
A great high priest whose name is Love / Who ever lives and pleads for me
My name is graven on His hands / My name is written on His heart
I know that while in heaven He stands / No tongue can bid me thence depart
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
To look on Him and pardon me

Alleluia, alleluia
Praise the One, Risen Son of God

Behold Him there, the Risen Lamb / My perfect spotless Righteousness
The great unchangeable I Am / The King of glory and of grace

One with Himself 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
With Christ, my Savior and my God"