Boldly to the Throne of Grace

November 13, 2023

Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16

I really love that we are focusing on the New Testament this year in Come Follow Me, but that's not the point of this post.

This verse from Hebrews is so delightful. A major component of faith is trusting that Christ and the Father care about us as individuals. Which means that they want us to come home. We believe it on some level, but it's easy to say “but that doesn't really apply to me.”

So we need to read this verse. It was directed to the Hebrews, to whom the “Throne of Grace” or Mercy Seat, was accessible to the high priest on one day each year. The High Priest went in to symbolically pay for the sins of the entire nation of Israel once a year. Going boldly into the Holy of Holies was a sure death sentence in the years when Israel was in the wilderness.

And now we are told that we are all to “come boldly” to the throne of Grace! The way is open now to each and every one of us! Christ is the High Priest of the new covenant and invites us all to come to him.

And for more than just repentance! We are told to come to “obtain mercy”, but also to “find grace in time of need”. What kind of need? Every need. Look at this scripture in the context of the one quoted above:

Cry unto him when ye are in your fields, yea, over all your flocks. Cry unto him in your houses, yea, over all your household, both morning, mid-day, and evening. Yea, cry unto him against the power of your enemies. Yea, cry unto him against the devil, who is an enemy to all righteousness. Cry unto him over the crops of your fields, that ye may prosper in them. Cry over the flocks of your fields, that they may increase. But this is not all; ye must pour out your souls in your closets, and your secret places, and in your wilderness. Alma 34:20-26

We are meant to boldly ask for help with: – Work (fields and flocks) – Family (three times a day at least) – Houses – Enemies – The Devil – Our crops (I interpret this as my work associates and work tasks) – Flocks and fields (and cars, that they may keep running) – And in all our secret places, and when we feel lost in the wilderness.

We don't need to be shy, we don't need to be afraid, we are asked, even commanded, to be bold when we ask our Father in Heaven for help. That makes me feel so loved.