We would naturally be apprehensive if we were called to meet our Head of State. But to meet God is more than awesome. His holiness and our sinfulness, His perfection and our imperfection, His wisdom and our foolishness – the contrast between Him and us is huge and awed fear is appropriate. Moses felt like that (Hebrews 12:18-21), and so did everybody living under the old covenant who honoured God. But that old covenant was replaced by a new one, sealed by the blood of Jesus (Ephesians 2:13).

Now, all who trust in Jesus as their once-for-all-time sacrifice, and their Great High Priest have a huge privilege. They know that their sins have been paid for. In Christ, the way to God is open for ordinary people to meet their Maker without fear. Instead, believers should have confidence to approach the divine throne knowing that our sins no longer prevent fellowship with our Heavenly Father – because Jesus' sacrifice is enough to cover all our sin (Hebrews 9:26-28).

The blood of Christ not only makes us guiltless and righteous, the indwelling Spirit also assures our conscience it is true (Hebrews 10:15-18). If a guilty conscience holds a person in a strange paralysis, a clean conscience liberates their spirit and body to serve the Lord with gladness. We trust what Jesus has done, as announced to us in the apostolic gospel, and the Holy Spirit assures us that we really are God's children and that He does not exclude us from His family; indeed He welcomes us warmly (Romans 8:16).

So why do we sometimes stay away from God, from church, from fellowship? It can only be that we do not have the confidence of being loved and accepted. The person whose opinion matters most is God. He has been the most offended by our sin and yet He has loved us so much that He sent Jesus to pay for our sins with His life. Of course, if we are unrepentant then fellowship is not restored until we do repent. But, having confessed our sin, we should not let Satan bluff us into hiding from God. It is the blood of Christ which is the evidence of Him accepting us. Let us strengthen our consciences, and walk confidently towards His love once again.