Hebrews 4 verse 16: (NIV) Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
For some reason, grace, in it’s many forms, has turned up in my world in big and little ways recently. I guess grace does that sort of thing all the time but I’m taking more notice lately. Through unexpected kindnesses and thoughtfulness, scriptures and articles, grace has made a deeper and wider deposit into my heart. Given that I will need grace until the day I die, it seems like God wants me to get a fresh vision of what grace looks like.
More than half a lifetime ago, I didn’t even know what grace was. All I knew was, I was a failure and I needed forgiveness. It took me a long time to seek forgiveness such was the depth of my pride. Forgiveness was one thing to get my head around but grace was quite another. Not a lot has changed. Someday’s I’m still feeling like a failure but now I usually go and see my Father about it, a lot sooner.
What does grace look like to you?
The prodigal son struggled with grace. We read about this parable in Luke 15 verses 11 to 32 (NIV). He messed up big time, went off and did his own thing. We don’t know how long he was gone but we do know the Father was waiting for him every day. Before he returned home, the son had a speech prepared to say to his Father.
Before the son had a chance to say his speech out loud, verse 20, the Father saw him approaching a long way off and was filled with compassion for him. He ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. THEN “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
What I glean from verse 20 is that the Father was absolutely and outrageously intent in restoring the relationship that he and his son had. This is where grace entered the room. There was only room for grace to do its powerful work, no place or thought of judgement or punishment. The grace shown by the Father created a beautiful space for his son to repent. Grace came softly because the Father was all about the restoration of His relationship with His son.
This is a picture of the Father’s love and the Father’s eagerness to apply grace, compassion and forgiveness to his son and then his sin.
Do you see Father’s eagerness to forgive you? Or do you only see your sin?
Hebrews 4 verse 16: (NIV) Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Other versions of the Bible say approach the throne of grace with boldness.
When was the last time you approached the throne of grace with boldness?
I just love the fact that we can approach the throne of grace with confidence and boldness. Receiving that grace is like being given a bouquet of fresh flowers in the spring time. That always puts a smile on my face.
The bottom line is, our Father makes it easy to come to Him. He is filled with compassion, He comes to meet us when we are a long way off and so much more. I love that about God.
For Him to invite us to come boldly to the throne of grace with confidence tells me about His eagerness to give us grace and mercy, in time of need.
I was just meditating on that verse last week! I’ve long known that we may approached with boldness, but I’d never really noticed that it said to request grace. My head always jumped to asking him for stuff and other things, not that the invitation was to ask for grace. And do seeing that you’ve made the connection too was really encouraging. Thank you!