Approach Boldly

Therefore let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us at the proper time. – (Hebrews 4:16, HCSB)

With Jesus as our high priest, we can feel free to come before God’s throne where there is grace. There we receive mercy and kindness to help us when we need it. – (Hebrews 4:16, ERV)

So let us step boldly to the throne of grace, where we can find mercy and grace to help when we need it most. – (Hebrews 4:16, VOICE)

Because Jesus came and took all of our sin and shortcomings upon Himself, we are able to stand before God to ask for His mercy and grace when we need it. We need not fear that God will grow weary of our asking, for He sent Jesus because He knows our desperate need. This morning, as I am weary and ready for rest this weekend, I know that He will supply the strength and endurance I need to get through today. May we ever approach the throne of grace with boldness, for God welcomes us into His presence and provides what we need as we come before Him.

With mercy and grace,

Is how we are met;

By God, our Father,

Who erased our debt.

The sins of the past,

He’s wiped them away;

And gives us His grace,

To love well each day.

May we keep seeking,

The Lord God above;

Who grants us mercy,

And fills us with love.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You sent Your Son to make the way for us to come before You with confidence. Confidence in knowing that we will be heard and helped and held. Forgive us for the times that we have not come before You in our need, for You instruct and remind us to come unto You. Teach us to bring all our burdens before You, for You flood us with Your mercy and love and give us the grace we need to keep moving forward in the direction to which we have been called. Show us how to love those around us well, so that Your goodness, mercy and love are made evident through all that we say and do. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we boldly come before Your throne, grateful for Your goodness and grace that made the way for us to know and depend on You. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

“Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” – Matthew 11:28

Approach Boldly

Therefore let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us at the proper time. – (Hebrews 4:16, HCSB)

With Jesus as our high priest, we can feel free to come before God’s throne where there is grace. Therefore we receive mercy and kindness to help us when we need it. – (Hebrews 4:16, ERV)

So now we draw near freely and boldly to where grace is enthroned, to receive mercy’s kiss and discover the grace we urgently need to strengthen us in our time of weakness. – (Hebrews 4:16, TPT)

Because Jesus has been through and understands everything we go through, and has paid the price for all that we have ever done and will ever do, we can come before Him boldly in prayer. As we do, we discover that He meets us with mercy and grace, and is ready to help whenever we need it. The more we understand and experience this for ourselves, the more readily we come before Him with every prayer and praise. May we ever draw near to our Savior, and present before Him our requests and appreciation.

O Lord, remind us,

Of Your faithfulness;

In times of great joy,

And those in distress.

Ever You’re faithful,

With kindness and love;

You hear ev’ry word,

Lifted up above.

Lord help us to pray,

Lift ev’ry request;

And love each other,

The way that is best.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that we can boldly approach Your throne where we receive mercy, kindness and grace. Forgive us for trying to handle things on our own or not trusting You to be all that we need. Teach us to come to You with every prayer, petition and praise that we have to offer. Show us how to love those around us in ways that demonstrate Your kindness and grace. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we come before Your throne with boldness. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

All humanity will come to You, the One who hears prayer. – Psalm 65:2

Approach Boldly

Therefore let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us at the proper time. – (Hebrews 4:16, HCSB)

With Jesus as our high priest, we can feel free to come before God’s throne where there is grace. There we receive mercy and kindness to help us when we need it. – (Hebrews 4:16, ERV)

So now we draw near freely and boldly to where grace is enthroned, to receive mercy’s kiss and discover the grace we urgently need to strengthen us in our time of weakness. – (Hebrews 4:16, TPT)

This morning, the need for grace is great, as I am running on four hours of sleep. Our dogs do not understand daylight savings time, nor do they have any concern for whether or not I get enough sleep. Thankfully, I can come before God and ask for help to function and do what I need to do, and can praise Him for the time to nap that will be available this afternoon. It seems trivial, but God cares about every aspect of our lives, including our need for sleep. I am grateful that this is still a weekend, and trust that He will provide what I need to feel refreshed and ready for the week ahead. May we ever seek the Lord, our High Priest, whom we can approach boldly to receive mercy and kindness and help whenever we need it.

Sweet sleeping puppies,

All has become calm;

The Lord’s loving grace,

Is a healing balm.

No matter our need,

Both the great and small;

The Lord, He hears us,

And cares about all.

So, look to the Lord,

Seek Him and His grace;

Loving Provider,

Who hears us, always.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You see and hear and know our needs. Thank You that You care about all things, great and small. Thank You that we can come to You for anything and You hear us. Forgive us for thinking that our needs are trivial or not what You care about. Teach us to present all to You and give You praise for Your ongoing faithfulness. Show us how to love those around us well. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we boldly approach Your throne, trusting that You are good and faithful to meet our needs. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

For the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came from God. – John 16:27

The Throne of Grace

Therefore let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us at the proper time. – (Hebrews 4:16, HCSB)

With Jesus as our high priest, we can feel free to come before God’s throne where there is grace. There we receive mercy and kindness to help us when we need it. – (Hebrews 4:16, ERV)

So now we draw near freely and boldly to where grace is enthroned, to receive mercy’s kiss and discover the grace we urgently need to strengthen us in our time of weakness. – (Hebrews 4 :16, TPT)

By Friday, I feel like I have finally reached the doorway to the throne of grace, as a break is at long last, in reach. However, I know that I can approach God anytime, for He is willing and ready to provide all that we need whenever we ask. It is interesting how much more we become aware of our need for God in times of difficulty and trials. He is good, and His mercy, kindness and help are always available to the seeking. This morning, as I prepare for the day, I again approach God to supply all that I need to navigate well. Each day is new, as are His mercies each morning. May we be intentional to come before the throne of grace to receive all that we need to persevere.

We have a high priest,

Photo by Harrison Haines on Pexels.com

Who is ever near;

His heart is for us,

His grace is made clear.

He grants us His strength,

When we have no more;

He leads us to peace,

Through His open door.

Show us, dear Jesus,

Your mercy anew;

Grant us peace and strength,

To live and love true.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that we have an open invitation to approach Your throne of grace to receive all that we need. Thank You that You are loving and kind, and that You supply all that is needed as we come to You. Forgive us for thinking that we have to navigate on our own, or somehow power through things that are not ours to walk through alone. Teach us to seek and rely on You in all things and at all times. Show us how to love like You so that we may extend mercy and grace where it is needed most. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we continue to come before You to be our strength and supply. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

Indeed, we have all received grace after grace from His fullness. – John 1:16

Anna’s Answer

Anna the prophetess was also there, a daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher. She was by now a very old woman. She had been married seven years and a widow for eighty-four. She never left the Temple area, worshiping night and day with her fasting and prayers. At the very time Simeon was praying, she showed up and broke into an anthem of praise to God, and talked about the child to all who were waiting expectantly for the freeing of Jerusalem. – (Luke 2:36-38, MSG)

 

Though Matthew does not reveal to us whether or not Anna had been promised to see the Messiah before the end of her life, I imagine that her presence in the Temple was no accident nor coincidence, as Mary and Joseph brought Jesus on the eighth day after his birth. It is difficult to fathom the life of Anna. Widowed, likely at a very young age, she chose to remain in the Temple area day in and day out, for decades. Matthew describes her has a prophet, and her heart was clearly connected to God as she worshiped and prayed day and night. Likely, one of her often prayed prayers was for the Savior to come to rescue Israel, as had been foretold in scripture. Incredibly, after all of her faithful time spent serving and honoring God, she suddenly found herself standing in the presence of a promise coming to fruition. Immanuel, God with us, came near in a tangible way to Anna, who had waited nearly a lifetime to behold the very One who was held before her. May we worship with the same sort of wonder and celebration as those first few whom God blessed with the opportunity to be in the presence of our Savior. The glory of the first Christmas remains the same, as we celebrate God with us, now and forevermore.

 

Remarkable the faith, 

And hope she held dear;

Faithful for ages,

Prayers that God come near.

In awe and wonder,

Her eyes did behold;

The promised Savior,

Scriptures had foretold.

She could not help speak,

To all others tell;

This most holy news,

Rejoice! It is well.

The hope she had held,

Was found in the eyes;

Eight-day-old baby,

Future realized.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your Son to save us. Thank You that Jesus made the way for us to be in right relationship with You, despite our shortcomings. Forgive us for forgetting all that Jesus went through to not only redeem us, but to know and understand our struggles and pain. Teach us to trust You with a relentless faith like Anna. Help us to faithfully pray and worship You, regardless of what we see. Show us how to love those around us in a way that offers hope where there is none, so they too may look to You. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we thank You and praise You for all that You have done through the precious gift of Your Son. Amen.

 

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

 

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy. – Hebrews 4:16

Where Greatness is Found

They began to argue among themselves about who would be the greatest among them. – (Luke 22:24, NLT)

Later, the apostles began to argue about which one of them was the most important. – (Luke 22:24, ERV)

The disciples bickered over which one of them would be considered the greatest in the kingdom. – (Luke 22:24, TPT)

 

Even after spending nearly every day with Jesus for the previous three years, the disciples still argued and postured for position. What this shows me is that even those who walk closely with the Lord, are subject to the frailty of the human condition. We all sin and fall short of the glory of God, and we all desperately need a Savior to lead a life of love, according to His good and perfect will. A bit further in the same chapter, Jesus let the disciples know that to be great, is to serve rather than to be served. He reminded them to follow the example that He had set before them all along. As always, the main message can be simplified to loving God and loving people. If we do both of these things, we will not worry about being greater, because we will prefer one another in love. Love lifts up, it does not tear down nor posture for position. May we ever seek the Lord and His ways, so that we can love Him and others for all of our days.

 

Let’s fix not our eyes, 

On how to be great;

But instead choose serve,

Lift up, elevate.

Choose prefer others,

Let love lead the way;

For this is God’s plan,

To share well His grace.

Never be worried,

About being great;

For God looks at you,

And He celebrates.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You love us not because of what we do, but because we are Your created. Thank You that You meet us where we are, and love us anyway. Forgive us for our foolishness that argues or seeks position rather than Your affirmation. Teach us to trust You more, so that the only approval that concerns us is Yours. Show us how to love those around us in a way that prefers others first and meets needs wherever they may be. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we choose to love You and love people as You call us to do. Amen.

 

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

 

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy. – Hebrews 4:16

When My Soul Waits

I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word I put my hope. – (Psalm 130:5, NIV)

I am waiting for the Lord to help me. My soul waits for Him. I trust what He says. – (Psalm 130:5, ERV)

Often, it seems that there is a season of waiting between active steps of obedience. It is in this in-between time that we are in what feels like a holding pattern, yet it is in this very space that we are called to wait and to trust in Him. Hope rises as we actively engage in time spent with Him. As we wait, He stretches, refines, restores, grows and prepares us for the next steps we are meant to take. Though waiting seasons are a struggle, the result of such seasons is something stronger and far more than we had imagined before. May we wait on the Lord in trust, and place our hope in His word.

O Lord the waiting,

is so hard to do;

seasons of stillness,

of trusting what’s true.

Lord help me in faith,

to Your hope, hold tight;

Your timing’s perfect,

and Your plans are right.

I trust who You are,

and Your word is true;

prepare this old heart,

for what I’m to do.

Let Your hope arise,

where doubt has crept in;

restore strength and faith,

fan the flames within.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that as we wait for You, we can put our hope in You and Your word. Thank You that You are truth and light and life. Forgive us for our lack of patience and endurance in the seasons of waiting, and teach us to trust in You, so that we will see these seasons as opportunities to be stretched, strengthened and transformed into more of who You have created us to become. Lead us to love others in such a way, that they see You through all that we do and say. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we wait in trust with hope, as You direct our every step. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present.

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy. – Hebrews 4:16

What Power is This?

He made the earth by His power; He founded the world by His wisdom and stretched out the heavens by His understanding. – (Jeremiah 51:15)

 

In the midst of sharing the message of destruction that the Lord had for the Babylonians, Jeremiah perfectly placed this poignant passage that recognizes the remarkable, in the Lord alone. Though the Babylonians were a powerful force, they would not stand under the opposition of He who made the earth. No people’s power can come close to His. A wisdom and understanding that stretched out the heavens, cannot be compared to the mere minds of men. When all seems chaotic and on a downward spiral around us, we can hold fast to He who is greater than all. Our hope is present in Christ, and our future forever secured in Him. May we go forth in His grace, trusting in His power, wisdom and understanding that are far greater than all else.

 

What power is this,

that created earth?

Who founded the world,

and ordained our birth.

The God of heaven,

Creator of Earth;

granter of new life,

breathed life at our birth.

In His great wisdom,

He stretched out the skies;

hand-crafted all things,

where true beauty lies.

The very same God,

Who spoke life in all;

will come dwell in us,

and answer our call.

Trust in His wisdom,

rely on His grace;

He is our true hope,

our peace in this place.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You made the earth by Your power, and You founded the world with Your wisdom. Thank You that You stretched out the heavens with Your understanding. Thank You that You who can do such mighty things, care for each of us, individually. Thank You that You know us intimately, and still love us with Your life. Forgive us for forgetting just how big and powerful You are in the midst of our messes, and help us to hold fast to You – the only One who is our hope, our comfort, and our peace – regardless of what is happening. Help us to trust You more, so that we move mightily on Your behalf. Let us love others as You love us, and may lives be changed and hearts turned toward You. Be glorified, Lord God, as we stand in awe of who You are and all that You have done. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present.

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy. – Hebrews 4:16