Ephesians 3:10-13

Scripture: Ephesians 3:10-13
10 His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms,
11 according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.
12 In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.
13 I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.

Observations
Verse 12 is one of my favorites of all time. I mean it, I have it framed in my bedroom. I can't ever get over the fact that I can approach God :) I can freely and confidently approach God! The holy, mighty God, Creator of all things. We have an all-access pass!! Even at my worst, when I come "tail-between-legs" and ashamed, God still receives me because Christ covers me.  I think of the prodigal son, how he was still welcomed by his father when he came back. In the same way, even when our sin is disappointing, God has mercy, through Christ. He doesn't turn us away when we approach Him with contrite hearts.

Application
Why do we struggle with approaching God? Are we hiding in the bushes like Adam and Eve due to shame? Are we running away from God like Jonah due to disobedience? Are we listening to Satan's lies, that we need to "have it together" prior to approaching God?

Prayer
Lord, encourage our hearts this morning to pursue you and approach you. We rejoice that you have a purpose for each of us. Help us to make time to seek you and have the confidence to do so even when our lives seem messy. Thank you for allowing us to come to you, and being such a loving, comforting Father. I pray for your presence with each one of us today. In Christ's name, amen.