The Throne of Grace Welcomes You
As we go through life and struggle with the various pressures around us, God invites us to pray to Him through Jesus Christ. There is no way to minimize how good this is for us. In fact, on the other hand, there is also no way to over hype it either. Whatever you are going through, whatever you face, whatever you want, or whatever you may believe, God welcomes you to come to Him for help, hope, and a fresh sense of His grace to you in it.
Notice these powerful words from the author of Hebrews:
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. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 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. (Hebrews 4:14-16)
Jesus Understands You and Your Problems Personally
As you bring your concerns and cares to God, your High Priest, Jesus the Son of God, understands you and completely understands or gets through what you are going. As your pressures build and your inside aches or your fear increases or a total sense of loss hits you, Jesus understands. He lived here, loved here, and faced the same types of trials as we do.
For instance, I listened to a man explain the past thirteen weeks since his wife went through a major stroke. He described his thoughts, concerns, and heartaches as he has walked through this time with her. As well, he described what he believes is also true about her, her thoughts, her concerns, and her heartache too.
This morning I prayed with a close family friends who faced surgery. As we talked, it was clear there was apprehension and concern about the coming surgery, the anesthesia, its aftermath, and the long-term effects of the surgery.
I listened to another person yesterday describe personal anxiety. As this individual faces some tough situations, this person feels it deeply. You could say that this person has more questions than answers.
Here is the good news. Jesus knows, understands, and cares.
Tempted as We Are, Yet without Sin
Jesus faced the same pressure-filled circumstances that you and I face every day. When the author of Hebrews describes Jesus as tempted as we are, the author refers to Jesus’ pressures. The idea of the term tempted refers to what Jesus faced, not His heart response. The second statement, yet without sin, relates to His heart response.
Tempted as we are refers to the kinds of struggles He faced. He experienced pressure-filled circumstances of every sort. Pressure hit him and provided opportunities for Him to either demonstrate His righteousness or be drawn away by His own desires and enticed. In every situation, He demonstrated righteousness. Generally, this is true. Specifically, it is true as well.
As the Gospels indicate (Matthew 4; Luke 4), the devil brought pressure to Jesus from every category of typical human temptation (the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life). Over forty days of fasting in the wilderness and then at the end with the direct, recorded conversation, the devil placed Jesus under every kind of pressure experienced by humans. Just as the author of Hebrews makes clear, Jesus faced every kind or type of pressure as each one of us.
How did Jesus respond? He demonstrated His righteousness. His response? Yet without sin. Jesus did not fall or stumble under the pressure. He experienced it just as you or I experience it; however, Jesus’ response from His heart demonstrated His fear of God, love for holiness, and personal sanctification. He through suffering proved His righteousness (Hebrews 2:10-18). As a result though, He becomes our Great and Sympathetic High Priest. His experiences and our experiences travel down the same path. He understands you.
Notice how the author describes it:
17 Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted (Hebrews 2:17-18).
Come Boldly to the Throne of Grace
Because Jesus understands our situations, has sympathy for us in them, and walked perfectly with God in His own, we are invited to go boldly before the throne of grace. Think about why this makes so much sense and provides you so much hope…
Jesus experienced in every sense – total awareness – the grace of God. He walked with God, feared God, and loved God. As such, He received God’s comfort, strength, and grace in every life situation. There was never one instance while Jesus lived on earth that He did not have complete awareness of and appreciation for all that He was provided from God. His humanity experienced the best the Godhead offers in terms of help, hope, grace, mercy, and all the rest. Jesus is the God-man.
What about you then? As you go through your tough circumstances and pressures (temptations), Jesus understands them. Further, He understands completely that you do not live in total awareness of every sense of God’s presence with you. You walk with God, fear God, and love God with less vibrancy than Jesus. Yes, you do your best, but that still does not add up to the way Jesus experienced those same things.
What do you do about it then? You go to God in prayer through Jesus and ask for help. Jesus, your Great High Priest who understands your pressures, knows exactly how to pray for you, intercede for you, and advocate for you. He provides you the grace and mercy you need because He knows you, knows your pressures, and understands their significance.
In your deepest trouble, your most pressured circumstance, your darkest moment, and your crushing loss, Jesus knows, understands, cares, and offers you help – the kind of help that only someone who has walked down that same path can give. Jesus did walk it. He offers you that kind of care.
Come Boldly to the Throne for Help
Whatever it is today that you face, wherever you are, or however you feel, God invites you to come boldly to the throne of grace for His help. God desires to help you and is ready to help you. The help you need, He provides, offers, and loves to give.
What do you have to do?
Go boldly to His throne of grace to receive it. The offer is on the table. The help is available. You must do your part and ask for it. Ask both generally and specifically. Generally, ask God to provide you grace, mercy, help, hope, strength, courage, discernment, wisdom, and a sense of His presence. Specifically, discuss your pressure-filled circumstances. Whatever it is that is on your heart, pour that out to God in prayer. Boldly bring it to the Lord. Not because you believe you deserve it or that you demand the help, but, instead, because God loves you and offers you the help you need.
In your time of trouble, my friends, do not miss out on the help God provides you from the throne of grace.
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