Before The Throne of God

I am one of those crazy people who likes to torture themselves by waking up early so they can run 3-5 or more miles in the morning. I know its hard to believe that there are people out there like me who willing engage in this sort of activity, but nevertheless, we continue to do so day after day.

This process, as painful as it sounds, is actually one of the best times of the day for me. It is a time to be alone for a minute and begin my day with songs of worship. No, I am not good enough to sing and run at the same time, I listen to music on my iPhone.

I can focus my mind on the songs that come over the headphones as I huff along and it actually helps me mentally prepare for my day.

The other day, one of my favorite songs, Before the Throne of God Above, began playing right as I was finishing up my run. I normally stop the music when the run is complete, but I wanted to hear this song before I went inside to begin getting ready for the day. The words of this hymn are deep and passionate, focused on Christ and His place as our High Priest.

The hymn was written by Charitie Lees Bancroft who was the daughter of Re. Sidney Smith, D.D. Rector of Drumragh, County Tyrone, Ireland. She wrote these words in 1863. This song now has a modern tune written by Vicki Cook, but was at one time sung to the tune of another familiar hymn, "Sweet Hour of Prayer". (It takes on a whole new meaning and depth when sung that way.)

I have heard this hymn many times, but on this morning the words "Christ my Savior and my God" stood out to me. I was instantly remembering John 20:17 where Jesus told Mary not to touch Him because He was going "unto my Father and your Father; and to my God and your God."

Whoa. Pause and think on that for a moment. Jesus just told Mary He was going to her Father and her God.

We can say Christ my Savior and my God, because Christ Himself made the way for us to be able to do so. His death and resurrection made possible the way for us to be able to say that. Before salvation, we are not able to do so. Without Christ's completed work, we are unable to come Before the Throne with the confidence that is found in the song and in the book of Hebrews.


And then I thought of the curtain in the temple that was torn from top to bottom on the day Christ died. God made the way for us to enter into the holy of holies. We sang "Power of the Cross" that night in Praise Band practice. There it was again. "Curtain torn in two, dead are raised to life, Finished, the victory cry!" What a Savior!

Its good for us to be reminded often of the cost of our salvation, but also of the standing we can have with God as a believers. It is a present condition of the redeemed made possible by a past action of the Savior, with a future end-glorification! We have the "strong and perfect plea", for Christ our High Priest, our mediator has opened the way for us to be reconciled to our God!

You can listen to "Before the Throne of God Above" here.