Hebrews 4:16

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

We get more excited to play golf or any sport for that matter when we are playing well. We depend upon our own abilities for our total satisfaction in a sport. When we aren’t good at something or not playing well, we don’t normally have a great excitement to take part in the activity.

We get in this same habit with our interaction with God. When we feel we have everything under control, we are more confident in our relationship with God. Moreover, we feel more of an accessibility to approach His throne because of our goodness. This approach is surely misplaced. In Hebrews 4:16, we are told that we can come boldly or confidently when we are in need. This boldness is because of the work of the Son and nothing by our deeds. When we claim His grace and mercy, we can confidently approach knowing He is faithful to provide for our every need. When we come in need, we approach by acknowledging His righteousness and His justness.

The confidence we have in ourselves is deadly. The boldness that we have in Jesus, however, is an ability to approach the throne of God with our petitions, our concerns, our needs, and our shortcomings. The ability to approach freely and confidently is because of Him becoming the perfect sacrifice. We must be cautiously not to take our boldness as an authority of arrogance, proudness or with presumption. These types of approaches are humanistic and flesh-centered.

Much of the issue with believers and the local church is a feeling of having no need. Our personal needs are being fulfilled, our family is saved and our coffers are sufficient. Thus, we don’t have the feel of an urgency for Christ at the moment. We think we can handle these small matters and there is no need to bother God. The longer this “disease” is allowed to linger and grow, the harder it becomes to recognize our true deficiencies. Let us continue realize our “needy” condition and never become comfortable. The feeling of “comfort” is the devil’s biggest deceiver in the life of a believer. “Comfort”, not only allows one to become satisfied with self-sufficiency, but permits us to feel justified in a current condition of sin. We have a “high priest” who has ascended to be our constant intercessor. His grace and mercy are evident and available each day. I pray that we remain bold thereby realizing, “Lord, I need thee every hour.”