Approaching God with Boldness

Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. – Hebrews 4:16 (NRSV)

What does it mean to “approach the throne of grace?” How is it done? What does it mean to approach with boldness? Have you found mercy and grace at this throne? What do you normally do at your time of need?

I was recently told this true story.
There were two families in the same church praying for different things. The first family prayed that they would find some way to help someone else. They believed themselves to be blessed and wanted to live into the idea that they must then be a blessing to others. One night before bed they prayed together with the mother leading them in prayer, “God please open our hearts to ways we can help others, and open our eyes so we know who needs your help.”
The next Sunday morning while going into church they saw another family going in too. The other family was a mother and father and two young children, the parents looked a bit stressed. A wave of purpose washed over the mother and father of the first family, and they agreed together to go give a $1000 check to the family they saw with the two children. With a simple greeting and a pass of an envelope containing the check and a letter that said, “We think you may need this,” the deed was done.
At one point in the service people were invited to give testimonies and the stressed looking mother approached the front of the church. She began speaking, “Last night my husband and I had no idea how we were going to buy food for our kids. We don’t even have enough to pay the bills right now. We looked at our budget and realized that if we could get $960 we would be able to make it until the next pay check in a couple of weeks and be alright. So we did the only thing we could think of, we prayed together. We got on our knees and asked God that somehow we received enough money to make it so our kids wouldn’t go hungry. When we got to church this morning, someone gave us a check for a $1000 and a letter that said they thought we might need it… thank you Lord,” she said through tears.

Two families approached the throne of grace with boldness, asking that their needs be met, and in each other they found mercy and grace. Too often we go to God with fear or laziness, believing that nothing will be accomplished in our prayers, and then nothing is. Other times we never even go to God, giving up before we ever begin. With boldness let us approach the God of promise! Jesus offers life and life abundant to all who seek him. If we do nothing, nothing will happen. If we boldly seek Jesus we might just experience the grace of God!

With hope and joy,
Garrett