BETTER THAN DISNEYLAND

As a child, I always wanted to go to Disneyland. Unfortunately, it didn't happen more than once or twice--once, I think.

I still remember making a vow to myself that one day, when I became an adult, made my own money, and had my own wheels, I would go to Disneyland, or Knotts Berry Farm or a big theme park with lots of rides every single day.

And if I couldn’t do that, then at least I would go twice a week.

12 years ago, we moved to the Bay area with two large theme parks (Six Flags and Great America.) This means that I can go any time I wish to. But do you know how many times we‘ve gone? Let’s just say that it hasn’t been every day. Not even twice a week. We’ve been two times in 12 years.

We have access to God.

We can be that way with our access to the presence of God. We can go into His presence 24/7, anytime we want. Yet how often do we actually do that?

This was a radical concept for the people of Jesus’ day, specifically the Jews. The Gentiles had no hope whatsoever of entering the temple of the living God. Any attempt to do so was punishable by death. The Jews couldn’t go much further. A veil separated the rest of the temple from the Holy of Holies, where only the high priest could enter once a year to meet with God.

The wall between God and man is broken down.

The Apostle Paul wrote, “For Christ Himself is our way of peace. He has made peace between us Jews and you Gentiles by making us all one family, breaking down the wall of contempt that used to separate us” (Ephesians 2:14, TLB).

It’s a marvelous, incredible truth. But how do we benefit from this unspeakable privilege if we never take advantage of it? In fact, we don’t get to enjoy this wonderful reality simply by talking about it (or writing about it) or pondering about how amazing it is. The benefit comes when we actually enter His presence through the way made for us, bow low before His throne, and find the pleasure of His companionship.

In that moment, we enter into the great reality.