His Mercy

I recently attended a women's conference in Dubuque Iowa. One of the passages our speaker looked at was in Daniel. At the end of the conference, we were challenged to continue studying and having our own "conference" during our individual time when we were at home studying the Bible.
I've taken this challenge and have started to read Daniel. I only read a little bit at a time. Usually a chapter or half a chapter. Then I take time and go back to reread and write down some thoughts.
I was challenged by a phrase this morning. In Daniel chapter 9. Daniel is praying to God regarding the desolation of Israel due to their lack of obedience to God. Daniel is crying out to God realizing that it is the sins of Israel that is causing the 70 years of of this punishment that the people are struggling through.
There's one phrase that really caught my eye this morning. It is found in Daniel 9:18B. We plead to you Lord not because of our righteousness but because of your mercy. This was such a reminder to me that when we come before our God and Savior we are not in a position of entitlement. I continue to observe children and even adults having this sense of having rights. I catch myself insisting that things should go my way because it's my right. But in all reality we don't really have any rights do we? Anything good that we get is from God and when we come before him we must remember that it is God's mercy that allows us to come before His throne boldly like we're told in Hebrews.
I am thankful for a wonderful merciful God that does hear my plea and does consider me righteous because of the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. So although friends, we have that freedom in Christ to come boldly before the throne, let us remember it is not our own righteousness that gives us such boldness but God's mercy. He does want to hear are pleas. He does want to hear our confessions. He does want to hear our praise. May we come before God with all of these things but also with a humble heart grateful for His loving care and mercy.