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It’s been a tough week for our country. Riots at political rallies. An increasingly course discourse. Much angst in the world. And I know you are feeling it.
Well, consider this PODCAST to be a bright and beautiful shot of much-needed adrenaline to your system, some refreshing encouragement from Jesus’ heart to yours.
Let’s begin our discussion with this: It is one of the most precious, and quite frankly priceless privileges in the entire Bible. I am referring to the one verse that concludes the fourth chapter of the book of Hebrews. One glorious verse that speaks volumes, both to the original readers of this verse, and to us as well.
But before I read it to you, I must first set this scene: As its title suggests — Hebrews — this book was written to Jewish believers in Jesus. These precious people lost everything when they become committed Christ-followers. Unlike the letters of Paul, written to local gatherings of believers in a given city — Rome, Corinth, Philippi — this letter was written to Jewish (Hebrew) believers struggling everywhere throughout the Roman Empire because, due to relentless persecution, they were scattered, far and wide.
We get only the barest of glimpses into their desperate circumstances from cryptic statements such as these:
“Think back on those early days when you first learned about Christ. Remember how you remained faithful even though it meant terrible suffering. Sometimes you were exposed to public ridicule and were beaten, and sometimes you helped others who were suffering the same things. You suffered along with those who were thrown into jail, and when all you owned was taken from you, you accepted it with joy. You knew there were better things waiting for you that will last forever” (Hebrews 10).
Or this in Hebrews 13:
“Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies.”
No one was exempt. Not even someone as faithful as young Pastor Timothy, protégé of the Apostle Paul, of whom we read in Hebrews 13:
“I want you to know that our brother Timothy has been released from jail. If he comes here soon, I will bring him with me to see you.”
For the first generation of Jewish Christ-followers, times were tough, their circumstances dire. So in order to encourage them, the writer of this great book made to them (and to us!) this precious promise:
“So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.” (Hebrews 4:16)
(Emphasis upon that shockingly bold word “boldly.”)
Trust me. That thud you just heard was sound of their jaws dropping and hitting the floor as the original readers scanned those words into their suffering souls, for reasons that you will soon hear.
You see, to the original Jewish readers of what we now call the New Testament, the only throne they knew about was that belonging to the maniacal ruler of the Roman Empire, Nero. In their world, no one ever approached a throne boldly. That was unheard of. Mercy and grace were foreign terms when it came to approaching a monarch.
If you think about it, by their very nature – how they rose to their position as monarch – the kings of ancient days were terrible, murderous, cruel individuals. Therefore, for a Biblical author to write to the ancient Hebrews that they could “come boldly to the gracious throne of God” was mind-blowing!
So, what does this approaching of God’s throne look like?
It looks like Jesus’ story in Luke 11:5-8,
Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this story: “Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him, 6 ‘A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.’ 7 And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can’t help you.’ 8 But I tell you this—though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence.
You see, we have received a merciful and graceful invitation from the Ultimate Monarch! When we approach God with bold, shameless persistence, God will not turn us down. God invites us to get in His almighty face with heavenly chutzpah!
That is how we are called to pray to Him, anytime – day or night – and He will answer.
But what happens when that doesn’t seem to work? What happens when you pray without ceasing, day and night… and nothing happens?
What happens when we ask and we do not receive? Seek and we do not find? Knock and the door remains closed? What then?
Well, remember that this entire discussion that lead to Jesus’ story about the friend knocking at midnight begins in Luke 11:1,
Once Jesus was in a certain place praying. As he finished, one of his disciples came to him and said, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”
2 Jesus said, “This is how you should pray:
“‘Father,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come.
3 Give us each day our daily bread.
4 Forgive us our sins,
for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.
And lead us not into temptation.’”
You see, as I mentioned last week, when we allow God to change us and our priorities and perspectives, we pray for His will in our lives… and He promises to answer those prayers as the Almighty King who invites us to come to His throne room.
This is what the Psalmists were thinking when they wrote Psalm 5:7,
Because of your great mercy,
I come to your house, Lord,
and I am filled with wonder
as I bow down
to worship
at your holy temple.
That should be us: filled with wonder! Or consider Psalm 65:8,
The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders;
where morning dawns, where evening fades,
you call forth songs of joy.
Are you filled with awe at the very sight of God causing the sun to rise? Or how about Psalm 96:4
…the Lord is great and so worthy of praise.
He is awesome beyond all other gods.
Imagine standing in amazement of God each and every day!
Or have we lost that sense of wonder and awe when we look at a sunrise, a sunset, gaze upon a flower, or watch the tide roll?
How does God change people from being self-absorbed and distracted to the point of being blinded by the wonders of the world and blinded to the wonders of our God?
He does it by us sincerely praying, “Hallowed be Your name”.
That’s where it starts. It begins with us echoing the words of Psalm 42:11,
Why am I discouraged?
Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
I will praise him again—
my Savior and my God!
I want to be THAT GUY!
I want to be filled with that kind of hope. I want my heart and mind to echo Psalm 94:19,
When doubts filled my mind,
your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.
THAT’S who I want to be!
But, I need God to transform me from someone who is so weighed down by the cares and worries of this world into someone filled with comfort, hope and cheer. But, how does He do that?
He does this when we pray, “Your kingdom come” and realize that there is a new day coming! No matter how our elections turn out or what the headlines read, there is a new day coming. And the truth is that the darker that our world appears here, the brighter that new day becomes.
If we want to become people who honor and please God with our hearts, minds, and behaviors – people with respect for God and all He is, then we need to allow God to change us from the inside out.
How does He turn someone who is rebellious into someone who is submissive and respectful?
It happens when we pray “Your will be done”.
We need to recognize God’s sovereignty in our lives and we need to be okay with it. We need to live in a place where we understand that His will for our lives is always better than what we have in mind. This will always lead to us being content and filled to overflowing in all things.
But, how does God change someone who is never satisfied and always discontent into someone who is grateful and content?
He does it when we pray, “Give us each day our daily bread”, and recognize that He gives us all we need.
Likewise, how does God change someone who holds grudges and is vengeful… maybe even hateful; and turn them into someone who is gracious, compassionate and forgiving?
He does it when we pray “Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.”
Finally, how can we become people who are spiritually thriving – not just getting by day by day, but THRIVING, especially if we find ourselves weak and faltering through life?
He does it when we pray “Lead us not into temptation”.
You see, God has invited you and me to approach His throne; and to approach it with bold audacity – CHUTZPAH – and to pray persistently, face-to-face, for His will in our lives. And He promises to answer our prayers!
And through His answers, He will transform us into people who are awe-filled, wonderstruck, optimistic, hope-filled, obedient, God honoring, grateful, thankful, content, forgiving, gracious, merciful, secure, protected, victorious, and spiritually thriving!