I love how God is always speaking to me and directing me through my kids. It’s like having living books of the Bible running around my living room: the books of Simeon, Judah, Charis, Maggie, Nora and Samuel. And if I pay attention, God is constantly using my children to remind me of His ways and His truth.

One morning I was happily dozing away when I was startled awake by an earthshaking BANG. I shot bolt upright in bed to see that my bedroom door had been kicked open. Standing in the doorway in his underoos—splay-legged, hands on his hips, with a look of determination on his two-year-old face—was Sam.
“I wanna kiss you BONES off!” He growled.

Holy cuteness! Well, what’s a Dad to do? A demand like that cannot be denied. It’s simply impossible. So I grabbed that kid up, tickled him into hysterics and we kissed each other’s “bones off.”

Later, I chuckled to myself as I reflected on the morning. But one detail occurred to me: when my two-year-old does something like that, it’s irrefusably cute and irresistible. But what would have happened if my next door neighbor had done that? Kicked my bedroom door open, woke me up out of a sound sleep and demanded, “I wanna kiss yer bones off!”

Well, let’s just say the outcome would have been different. I really like my next-door neighbor. He’s a great guy, and I consider him a friend, but what’s irresistible coming out of my child’s mouth would be creepy coming out of the mouth of a 35-year-old man.

How does all of this relate to worship? Simply this: only a child of God can kick open the door of heaven. Only a child of God can stand before the throne of the Judge of the universe and expect to be kissed. Only a child of God can “come boldly to the throne of grace” (Hebrews 4:16).

That’s exactly what Jesus did for us on the cross. Sin and the righteous requirement of the law had closed the doors of heaven, and the Son of God (a superhero in His own right) kicked open the doors (split the veil), entered the Holy of Holies, and received the adoration and accolades of His Father.
Only the Son could do that. Only a Son of God can unceremoniously burst into the presence of the Almighty King of creation.

But only a priest can lead other people there. Read the verses around Hebrews 4:16.

Hebrews 4:14
“Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.”

Hebrews 6: 19–20
“This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”

Now read Hebrews 4:16
“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

You see, Jesus didn’t just come to His Father as a Son, He also brought us with Him because He is a Priest. If He had been only a Son, then the rest of us would still be denied entrance and relationship to God. The difference between a Son and a Priest is also the difference between a worshipper and a worship leader. A worshipper can come into the presence of God, but only a worship leader (a priest) can lead other people into the presence of God.

This is why you have been called both a Child of God and a Priest of God (1 Peter 2:5,9). You have been given both the privilege of relationship with your Father (worship) AND the privilege of helping other people enter relationship with their Father (worship leading).

Whether you play an instrument or not; whether you sing or not—your worship is not based on your musical ability, it’s based on the love of your Father Lord. So your worship leading is not dependent on your musical ability either. It’s based on your relationship with God and your love for the children He longs to gather to Himself.

You are a son, a daughter, a priest. You are a worshipper and a worship leader.

So, child of God, wouldn’t today be a great day to rush the throne of grace? Wouldn’t it be a great day to take the right of a child and demand the kisses of your Father King? And while you’re there, why not bring a friend with you? A friend who may start the day as a stranger, but may finish the day as an adopted child of God.

“For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.”
Romans 8:15–17

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