The Throne of Grace

The Throne of Grace

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)

When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.” (Mark 5:27-28)

A brother once told me of a visit he made to Chester Zoo. He said he remembered standing in front of the lion enclosure looking at a male lion sitting majestically in the sun. Even behind the large fence that separated him from this magnificent animal, he had a sense of unease. As he watched, two lion cubs walked up to the male lion with complete confidence and sat beside him. The brother said there was a significant difference between himself and the cubs. They were the children of the powerful lion.

Boldness is not brashness. We should never come casually or carelessly into the presence of God. As the children of God, we should be characterised by dignity, confidence and a deep sense of God’s glory and grace. He welcomes us through the Person and work of Christ Jesus: “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ” (Ephesians 2:13). He is always ready to respond to our needs.

The story of the diseased woman in Mark chapter 5 is a beautiful illustration of salvation. She was afraid, but she still came to the Lord in simple faith. The story also illustrates the experience of God’s dear children, because sometimes we come to the Lord Jesus when we are afraid and overwhelmed by our circumstances. We have no strength or confidence; we just feel our utter need and helplessness. And in those painful situations, we reach out to Him, in the weakness of our faith, to seek His presence and healing.

The Lord Jesus said to the woman, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction” (Mark 5:34). The people and the disciples had no understanding of the deep need of the woman. She was just a face in the crowd. We can sometimes, in the busyness of life and even in Christian service, be unaware of the needs of our fellow believers and our neighbours. But the Lord Jesus always feels compassion towards us and responds to us individually, however small our faith may be.

Our present circumstances give us time to reflect upon the grace and power of the Saviour and the time to come before the Throne of Grace. Let us reach out to the Lord Jesus in faith. May He deepen that faith and give us to know His peace and healing, and, in doing so, make us sensitive to the needs around us to serve Him better in a broken world.