The door flings open and a wide-eyed, curly-haired little girl hastens into the center of the room. She comes right up to me without a second thought. She is my daughter, the fact that I am in a meeting is of no consequence to her at the tender age of 3. She has something to say.
One of the things that I learned in pastoral ministry is that children are often a very good illustration of the truth that we are trying to communicate. This is no different. The scene described above have been happened multiple times over the years. One of my kids would run in, jump up on my lap and ask if they could eat a piece of candy or to inform me of something that was very important to them at the moment. As parents we had to work with them on manners but not confidence. They understood that they had free access to Daddy. Come and plead, talk, make your requests known to me. I think of their little faces, resolving to come and then running down the hall to get there, and then with wide-eyes they march in. It’s instructive for us.
This truth of Christ’s high priestly care for us provokes a most amazing response. It is the response of coming to God’s throne with confidence.
Consider Hebrews 4:16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
The throne of God here is speaking of God’s heavenly throne, where the Father resides. It is the communication of unflexible, perfect, holiness and righteousness. It is here, to this heavenly throne that you are to draw near. What’s more, the verb is in the present tense indicating that this drawing near to God’s throne is to be an ongoing, regular aspect of your life. This is to be characteristic of the Christian.
Notice also how you are to draw near: with confidence. Some older translations may use the word boldness. It carries the idea of having a freedom of speech. We come not thinking that we would be rejected. We come with the expectation that we would be heard. We come with confidence.
We come with confidence to God like little children. And you needn’t be concerned about your heavenly Father being busy.
We ought to remember why you can draw near with such confidence. It is because you have such a great high priest. You can come to the throne of God to make your requests known to him because you are welcomed there. You are family. This is because of the work of Christ on your behalf.
If we could summarize the Old Covenant it would be “stay back” the New Covenant says, “draw near.” Drawing near to God with such confidence is based upon the successful work of Christ.
Contrast this with many pictures in the Old Testament. Adam was afraid of God in the Garden so he hid from him. Moses warned the Israelites at the foot of Mt Sinai to stay back. But you have not come to Sinai. You have come, as Hebrews 12 says, to Mt Zion. You are welcomed here!
Calvin used to write of prayer being like crawling upon our Father’s lap. Just like children we may come to our Father. We come with confidence, knowing that Christ has secured our access. And as we come we, like children, make our requests known to him. Those things that make us happy, sad, anxious, hopeful, uncomfortable, etc. We come and talk with our Father because he delights to show grace.
