This is the Truth Network. Encouraging prayer. God offers an open invitation for his people to talk with him at any time about anything. On Encouraging Prayer, Dr. James Banks, author of the best-selling Prayers for Prodigals and many other books on prayer, provides weekly biblical insight to help you learn to love to pray.
And now, here's James.
So, today we're going to look at what it means to come boldly before the throne of grace, as Hebrews 4:16 encourages to do as we pray. But, James, You say there is even more to that verse. And it can really transform the way we pray. Let's jump in. Yeah, you know, I love this verse.
And the thing is that when you first look at it, You might think, well, you know, this is a verse for prayer warriors. And it's the very opposite. of that. Yeah. This verse is intended for people who are struggling with prayer, thinking, I can't come near to God.
I'm too messed up. I've messed up too many times. And The thing I love about this verse is it makes me think of. of Jesus sitting down and and looking you in the eye and saying What do you need? What do you need?
Let's talk. What do you really Right. Yeah, that's beautiful. Oh You know? I mean that That's the heartfelt thing about it.
It's it's this Because you've got to be careful how you answer that, right? Yeah. This isn't uh You know, I want a hippopotamus for Christmas kind of thing. Yes, it's a This is that soul searching need That thing that keeps you from coming to God. Because you feel convicted about it.
You know, this is that place where you wonder, how can God still love me? And the reason why I'm saying this is because you have to look at the context. Of course, the context is talking about a great high priest. And of course the high priest would go in to the Holy of Holies and offer sacrifices for for atonement. And of course What this passage says is, we don't have a high priest who is unable.
to empathize with our weakness. But we have one who's been tempted in every way, just as we are, yet he did not sin.
So that's the context. It's not the context of you prayer warriors, you know, up and at them kind of thing. It's more like. when you don't think that you can pray. You really can.
Yeah, it's so connected to that idea of the Day of Atonement. And the high priest going into the Holy of Holies in the ark that held the three things that made Israel struggle. They struggled over the manna. They didn't even know what it was. They struggled over the law.
It's certainly what broke them. And they struggled over the priesthood, the staff that had Butted. And so, you know, it was where they were broken, that they had the mercy seat that sat over the top of those things. Yeah. Yeah, and I I love that phrase, mercy seed.
It makes me think of that old hymn. Come, you disconsolate, where'er you languish, come to the mercy seat, fervently kneel. Here, bring your wounded hearts. Here tell your anguish. Earth has no sorrows that heaven cannot heal.
And it's in that place, you know, where you and I can come to Jesus. And that's the whole context of approaching God's throne of grace. with confidence. And and what that phrase means in in the original language is to be able to come Speaking freely. Yeah, you're y you're unreserved.
In your speech. You're going to be very open. You're just going to. To tell God what is on your heart. And usually, this is thought of in terms of, well, I'm going to pray boldly about this and pray with a lot of faith.
But again, I think this verse has a different feeling to it. it's more about that person who is just struggling because And there's another reason why I say that. Uh Grace to help. In our time of need, you know, so that you might find mercy and grace. First of all, that mercy is again kindness, compassion.
It's God's tender mercies. that we hear a lot about in scripture. And that time of need is an opportune moment But that word for help is really interesting because it's It's related to a word that has to do with tying a ship. together.
So you think of a wooden ship that was held together by ropes. And it it refers to those ropes specifically. And so literally, this is what holds us together. when we're falling apart. That's the help.
That we can get. Yeah. And in fact, they t talked about that in the book of Acts, right? When they they did tie that ship together with ropes 'cause it was coming apart, which is kind of where we are when we when we pray like that. I mean, it's absolutely beautiful.
Yeah, yeah, it it's just so good. It's so rich because Again, this isn't a verse just for prayer warriors. This is a verse for those who have, you know, tripped and fallen and wonder whether or not they can get up again. The beautiful thing is, you can. You can.
God will hold you together. God will give you tender mercy. God will meet you in the opportune moment because that is how He loves and He wants you to come close to him, Jesus. loves it when I come to him just like that. Yeah, it's just like the thief on the cross.
Couldn't have been more broken. He was dying. But he boldly said, Remember me Right. It's exactly where Uh Jesus wanted uh to step in and and save him because he was there. Mm-hmm.
Yeah. This probably be a good time to pray. I think it might be.
Well, Father, thank you. Thank you, Lord, that we can. that we can come like this. Omni. Just Help us, Lord, to know.
that that your mercies are real. And that we are blessed more than we know because of your kindness to us. Thank you, Lord. for your mercy and grace that helps us in our time of need. In Jesus' name.
Oh man. Amen. You can hear more from Pastor James by visiting his website, jamesbanks.org, or by visiting Peace Church in Durham, North Carolina. May God bless you and encourage you as you pray.
