Romans 5:1, 2 
Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. (NLT)

By entering through faith into what God has always wanted to do for us—set us right with him, make us fit for him—we have it all together with God because of our Master Jesus. And that’s not all: We throw open our doors to God and discover at the same moment that he has already thrown open his door to us. We find ourselves standing where we always hoped we might stand—out in the wide open spaces of God’s grace and glory, standing tall and shouting our praise. (MSG)

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These verses stand alongside the prayer pathway Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew chapters 5 through 7. In 6:9-13, we find what is commonly called the Lord’s Prayer. It is a model of how to pray. It brings us into God the Father’s presence because of what Jesus did for us. 

We can enter God’s presence because, as verse 1 above says, “we have been made right in God’s sight by faith.” Receiving God’s gift of life made possible through the death and resurrection of Jesus washes away the sins that separate us from God. 

Isaiah found himself in the presence of God (Isaiah 6:1-8). In experiencing God’s holiness, the first thing he noticed was his own personal unholiness. He freely confessed his filth. (See verses 4 and 5.) His guilt was removed and his sins were forgiven (verse 7). 

What our Father in Heaven did for Isaiah, Jesus did for each of us. He makes it possible for us to enter into God’s presence cleansed from our sin and loved without limit. Paul explains this grace in verse 2:

Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.

We can stand in God’s presence by his grace. He freely and lavishly gives us what we do not deserve but desperately need. We can “confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing in God’s glory.”

We don’t have to be afraid of God. He turns holy fear into holy love. His love reaches us, rescues us, and restores us. He makes everything right. 

These two verses provide powerful promises of what will be and decisive declarations of what already is. 

Let’s review our standing with God because of what Jesus did for us:

* We are made right with God by faith.
* We have peace with God because of what Jesus did for us.
* We stand in undeserved privilege in the presence of God.
* We confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. 

This is a good day. This is good for all the rest of our days. This is good forever and always.

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I will stand in undeserved privilege and peace with God because of what Jesus did for me.

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Our Father, your grace continues overflowing from your heart into ours. Thank you for loving us so completely. Thank you for providing what we require but can never achieve on our own. Empower us to stand confidently and joyfully in this grace. Amen.