I have a friend—let’s call him “John Doe”—who told me the following story.

John Doe went into the woods behind his house to do some deer hunting on his property. As he approached his deer stand, he saw that a hunter was already there, someone whom he did not know. He asked the man what he was doing there, and the hunter replied, “I have permission from John Doe to hunt here.”

John introduced himself to the hunter and politely sent him on his way.

Those who know Jesus as their savior have permission to come into the presence of God. Unlike those who pretend to know him, we have no fear of being exposed as intruders.

“Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”—Hebrews 4:16