…Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Many times, I can’t even bring myself to approach peers with confidence. I walk up with an anxiety or fear in my chest that threatens to cause me to shrink back. I’ve learned to press through this feeling, and I’ve gotten some measure of healing from the root of it, but I’m still in process. I do pretty well at social gatherings these days, but I often have to take a deep breath before striking up a conversation, especially if that conversation is with someone that I have never talked with before. The difficulty of approaching others increases when there’s some measure of conflict involved. Maybe you can relate? Yikes!
The invitation to approach the throne of grace with confidence is easier said than done. The motivation is clear: we will find mercy and grace. The reality, however, is difficult.
For the original Jewish readers of this text, it was understood that approaching the throne of grace paralleled approaching the mercy seat in the tabernacle.* This mercy seat was in the Holy of Holies where only the High Priest could go once per year.* Sure, in this yearly moment, sprinkled blood bought the forgiveness of sins for the people once per year, but it was a dangerous ordeal going into the presence of our powerful, holy God (e.g. see, Lev 10 and 21).* Common people like you and I would never be permitted to come into God’s presence.*
Furthermore, making things even more difficult, conflict is involved. How many times do we need to come to God because we messed up or are weak or need help? During the time of the tabernacle, the High Priest came into the presence of God once a year because the people of God had conflict with God: sin.
Jesus changed everything.
Because Jesus serves as our eternal Great High Priest, we now have access to the presence of God.* Not only do we have access, but we can approach with the confidence that we will receive mercy and grace when we come (rather than death or banishment). Furthermore, we have the gift of confidence that the help that we need will come at just the right time.*
How many times have we needed something from a friend or colleague in a situation and it comes too late? Growing up I heard this saying: “an hour late and a dollar short.” The idea was that the help that was needed wasn’t enough, and it came too late. This is never the case with our God.
When we are in need of anything, when we need someone who understands, when we need forgiveness, when we need someone to move on our behalf, we can go to God at our time of need, receive mercy and grace, and receive the help that we need at just the right time.
What are mercy and grace? Ray Stedman suggests that mercy is the cancellation of deserved judgment while grace is the supply of undeserved blessing.* Sigurd Gindheim says that “grace” broadly denotes the favor of God while “mercy” refers to the goodwill of God toward those in a difficult situation such as sin, oppression, etc.* Stedman explains,
Both [mercy and grace] are needed by sinful believers such as we all are, and both are available to us when we come with confidence.
Today, take a step.
Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to remember that we can come to Him with confidence. Perhaps God wants you to come to Him today. Maybe God wants you to receive mercy and grace. Perhaps today God wants you to remember that the help that He offers is always enough and never late.
Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.
Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus.
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*Stedman, R. C. (1992). Hebrews (Heb 4:14-16). IVP Academic.
Grindheim, S. (2023). The Letter to the Hebrews (D. A. Carson, Ed.; pp. 271–274). William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
France, R. T. (2006). Hebrews. In T. Longman III & D. E. Garland (Eds.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Hebrews–Revelation (Revised Edition) (Vol. 13, p. 73). Zondervan.
Guthrie, G. (1998). Hebrews (p. 176–180). Zondervan Publishing House.