“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 4:16
IF Jesus is your Lord and Savior, then this invitation, encouragement, and exhortation is for YOU! You can pray confidently, trusting that God’s grace and mercy are available to meet your needs. If you’ve entrusted your life to Jesus, then earlier verses in chapter 4 explain that Jesus is your great high priest. He represents you before God, reconciling you to your Father in Heaven. Jesus is your perfect high priest because He understands EVERY temptation you battle.
Jesus entered our world, taking on a human body and nature. After He did, Jesus experienced unimaginably severe temptations, resisting them all without ever sinning. While we might imagine that would separate us in our sin from Him in His perfection, it actually enables Him to truly understand our struggles and even our failures. So Jesus, the perfect priest, is your priest. He sees everything about you. He understands you perfectly. And He intercedes on your behalf anyway!
What does that mean? Exactly what this verses says. If Jesus is your Lord, you don’t need to be afraid to pray to God for what you need. You don’t need to be afraid He ‘ll be angry that you’re bothering Him. You don’t need to worry that He’ll laugh at you, make fun of you, or tell you to get lost. You don’t have to wonder whether God cares about your requests. In Christ, you have an extraordinary privilege! You can confidently approach God in prayer 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, asking God boldly for the grace and mercy you need in any moment.
In Christ, God IS listening to your prayers. He is delighted to give you grace and mercy. He loves when you come to Him with your needs. And He will respond in whatever way is best. So confidently pray to God and faithfully #FollowJesus