since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. for we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 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 [hebrews 4:14-16]
faith in and confession to a sympathetic God allow us to humbly approach the throne of grace…with confidence.
let us hold fast our confession…to a sympathetic God
as a kid, i don’t know how often i said or thought “they wouldn’t understand.” it is terrifying to confess to a God or a person who we think has never made a mistake like this. fortunately, we worship a God who has been tempted in every way like us, who will never look down on us with the disdain of i can’t believe you would do something like that. God hates our sin but understands and sympathizes with us in it even better than we can for ourselves.
let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and grace
there are two types of approaching the throne here: in request of mercy (unmerited withholding of deserved punishment) or grace (unmerited favor)—both of which we are called to do confidently! when we sin, we can approach the throne confident that God will remove our guilt and set us right anew. when we approach for grace, we do not have to approach like nehemiah or esther, who risked death for speaking up to the king without being summoned, but as the adopted sons and daughters of the King that we are.
God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. [james 4:6b, proverbs 3:34]
our confidence before the throne comes from our confession. the Lord delights in raising up the humble. that is why we are called to hold fast to our confession—it’s our “ride” to confidence before the Lord!
what do you find your confidence in, and what holds you back from boldly asking the Lord for radical grace every day? Lord, teach us to find confidence in our humble confession to you, our understanding Father!
~ stephen hall