Heaven is Open

"Immediately coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens opening, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon Him; and a voice came out of the heavens: "You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.""  (Mark 1:10-11 NAS95S)

How blessed the assurance: This is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.  It has become one of my favorite passages because it reminds me that my life is "hid with Christ in God."  Through the Love and Grace of Jesus I have been wrapped up in the arms of my Father.  Glory, this is the grace I need.  This love that hides me.  

Yes Father, I pray You might hide me away in the shadow of Your name.

"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty."  (Psalms 91:1 NAS95S)

The words of the song Still come to mind... Hide me now, under your wings.  Cover me, within Your mighty hand.

Yes Jesus, when I am with You, when I am hid in You, than I am beloved.  You are my strength, my song.  You are the covering presence of my life.  

What does that say to us? "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." It says to us, I, God, have sent My Son into your world, and through Him is opened all heaven to fallen man. After the sin of Adam man was divorced from God, but Christ came in. He was represented through the sacrificial offerings until He came to our world. Here Christ offers this prayer, and what does it say to us? The human race is accepted in the Beloved. His long human arm encircles the race, while with His divine arm He grasps the throne of the Infinite, and He opens to man all of heaven. The gates are ajar today. Christ is in the heavenly sanctuary and your prayers can go up to the Father.  

     

Christ says, If I go away, I will send you the Comforter, and when we have the Holy Spirit we have everything. We have knowledge, wisdom, power, and we have a connection with the God of wisdom. When heaven was opened to man, and God said, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased," He said it to us. Your prayers, through faith in your substitute, Jesus Christ, are accepted. God accepts Christ, our substitute. He took human nature upon Himself and fought the battles that human nature is engaged in.  (MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS - The Ellen G. White 1888 Materials (1987)/Chap. 12 - Sabbath Talk 124.6).

How can I say thanks my precious Savior? Thanks for the blood you spilled on Calvary's cross?  Thanks for the prayers You prayed in Gethsemane?  Thanks for Your intercession even now as I pray?  Thanks for loving me?  Thanks for forgiving me?  Thanks for coming?  Thanks?  How can I say thanks?  I can only say it through the power of Your Spirit welling up within me.  I can only say it because You have awakened it in me.  THANKS!  THANKS be to Your Holy name.