Why We All Get Direct Access to God
By Jessica Brodie
There I was, pouring my heart out about a problem, when I realized the phone call had gone awfully quiet.
“You there, Sara? Hello?”
Somehow, we lost our connection. Maybe it was a bad cell phone signal, or one of those really strange no-reception zones, but the call was done. We reconnected later, and I got to finish my vent and get good advice. All was well.
But have you ever felt that way with God, like the signal just wasn’t there? Like He couldn’t hear you, or vice versa?
This week, with Easter approaching and the season of Lent upon us, I’ve been thinking more and more about the connection we have with others, with other Christian believers, and with God himself. We have direct access to God.
But back in ancient days, long before Jesus, having a direct connection and conversation with God wasn’t so easy. We know God talked with some people—He walked and talked with Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden. He talked with His prophets, to Noah and Abraham and Jacob, and He appeared to Moses in the burning bush and on the top of Mount Sinai. We know he was present in the temple, in the holy of holies, but it was quite a process to be able to communicate with Him there and even enter His presence. Only certain people, priests of a certain bloodline, were able to do this. And first they had to cleanse themselves ritually, be completely pure and holy, and do things exactly right or they’d die.
All of that changed when Jesus came. When Jesus came and showed us the way to the Father, he left behind the Holy Spirit, our advocate, who lives in us. The spirit is part of the triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—all making up the holy Trinity.
We know that Jesus, who has no sin, willingly endured a humiliating, painful, torturous, public death nailed to a cross in front of a crowd of people jeering and taunting Him.
He who had no sin paid our sin debt. He was the sacrificial lamb, and His sacrifice once and for all time cleansed us of all unrighteousness and made a place for us in eternity.
Only through genuine belief in Jesus, repentance of our sins, and willingness to follow His ways grants us that access to eternity, but we do have it… all because of Him.
But what we also have, thanks to Jesus, is access to our heavenly father.
Unlike the ancient days, today when we pray to God, it’s a direct connection. Because of Jesus, we don’t need a priest or a prophet or anything else to stand between us and God. His sacrifice quite literally torn the barrier between us and our Father. We can talk to God just like we talk to a friend on the phone, only better.
We can read about this in the gospels. The Bible tells us that when Jesus offered His last breath and gave over His life on that cross, the veil in the temple, the veil between the people and God in the holy of holies, was torn.
As it says in Matthew 27:50-52, “And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life” (NIV).
The tearing of the veil was not only a major signifier that something momentous had happened, but it also was a bold and glorious opportunity—quite literally, the veil between God and humanity had been sliced open. The wall had fallen. There was no longer a barrier. Suddenly, we got access to God in an entirely new way.
And it was all because of Jesus.
I was raised knowing I could go to God in prayer every day, all day long. I was raised to know He loved me and was listening, and that if I was listening closely, sometimes I could hear Him. I could see Him before me and experience His wonders for myself, and not just me, not because I’m unique or special in any way, but everyone. This access to God is something available to every single one of us.
But I take it for granted. Many of us do.
King David in the Bible, who slayed the giant Goliath with a stone and a slingshot and was known as a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22), anointed and hand-selected by God to be the king of Israel, had very close relationship with God. Yet God communicated with David through his prophet Nathan when he had an important message (2 Samuel 7). He didn’t tell this to David directly. And this was David—“special” David, David who wrote many of the psalms and is mentioned numerous times throughout God’s Holy Word.
Yet with us, it’s different… because of Jesus.
The God of the universe loves us so much that He not only sent us Jesus as the path to heaven in spite of all of our sins, but He also speaks to us. He longs for relationship with us.
What a gift.
As you go through this season of Lent and into Easter, think about the significance of the tearing of the veil when Jesus gave his last breath. How remarkable is it truly that we, mere human beings, just skin and bones and a glimmer of soul walking around this earth on two legs, can actually talk to the Creator of all things, the Alpha and the Omega, the lion and the lamb in one?
How about you? Other things that you consider “basic blessings” that you’re taking for granted today?
Today I pray you and I can cultivate a humble heart and a spirit of gratitude for all we have in the Lord. And remember: even if you think He can’t hear you, He can. He’s listening. Always.
God bless you!
