The THRONE of GRACE
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“Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need." Hebrews 4:16 NAS
OK, so here's the picture most people see: you have a small or great need. You cry out for mercy. Because of your circumstances, you're desperate to receive a large dose of His grace. You're having a bad day (or week or month) so you decide to follow Scripture (always a good move) and confidently walk with respectful steps until you face the Majestic One, the Lord of Lords and King of Kings, sitting on His throne. You swipe at your tears and begin to kvetch (complain). Really?
Do you actually believe if you find yourself in the presence of the Lord, staring into His flaming, compassionate eyes, surrounded by His glory, that you're going to dwell on the stack of bills on your table, how sad it is that your roof is leaking or that your neighbor's dog barks a greeting at 3 a.m.? I think not. Being in His presence is totally satisfying and then some, an experience that fulfills all in all and leaves you wanting for nothing. But doesn't Heb 4:16 say we'll need help? Let's take a look.
"Let us therefore draw near with confidence..." The KJV reads "come boldly." This verb is in the perfect tense, which means it describes an action which is viewed as having been completed in the past, once and for all, not needing to be repeated. In other words, enter the throne room once and stay there! This is your base of operations! This gives you an overcoming perspective of who He is, who you are, and how really trivial are many annoyances on earth.
Mercy = eleos = kindness, good will. We stand before Him to "find" grace (charis = good will, loving-kindness, favor). We find = heurisko = to come upon, hit upon, to meet with after searching, to find a thing sought. Why are we seeking and finding this grace? "To help in time of need." "To help" = boetheia = or timely help. In Acts 27:17 this word in the plural is translated as "frapping," or to make secure by lashing. When a ship loaded with treasure reached port the sailors would frap it, make the lines tight, to secure it so the ship would not break free and the treasure lost.
When do we do this? "In time of need” which = eukairos = seasonable, timely, opportune! Now see yourself before the throne of grace, waiting for the Lord to indicate the right opportunity for you to find the thing sought so you can immediately frap it and secure it for yourself or for others! No longer a weeping, “needy' supplicant simply visiting the throne of grace, but a resident forever seeking to acquire what He has for you - especially to bless those around you. This is not to fulfill a personal shopping list, but to allow Him to work through you to better the world.