“Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace in our time of need.”
(Hebrews 4: 16)
We are having a fascinating study in our Bible study on an in depth look at the significance of the Lord’s prayer. This prayer is so familiar to us that we can fall into the trap of reciting it like something we learnt at school and miss the divine meaning of these precious words. The first amazing realization is that Jesus himself taught his disciples and us these words and they would have surprised his listeners. Jesus now says we can come into his presence and call him, Our Father. He is mentioned a few times as the Father, but not in the intimate wording, Our Father. Later John assures them and us that we are his children and can address him in that endearing way.
“How great is the love, that the Father has lavished on us that we should be called, children of God, and that is what we are!” (1 John 3: 1)
We have only been granted that beautiful intimate relationship because Jesus paid the debt of sin by dying on the cross for us. This amazing realization came about when Jesus uttered his last breath and the heavy curtain guarding the Ark of the Covenant split in two. Signifying the gap between us and the Heavenly Father had been taken away.
“And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that time the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split.” (Matthew 50: 51)
There were strict rules as to who was allowed to address the Lord God Almighty. Only the chosen high priest was allowed once a year to go behind the heavy curtain into the Holy of Holies, so for this curtain now removed all of us believers can now approach the throne grace and call the Heavenly One, Father.
We sometimes forget this and may even feel that prayer is something we should do, forgetting that spending time with the Father is the most beautiful time we ever spend. Human relationships pale between the peace that floods us when we come into his presence. We are surrounded with his amazing grace that allows us to be ourselves to share our inmost thoughts, our worries, our problems and to realize that even if we have failed in following him closely, we are renewed by his forgiveness. What an incredible gift! We are told to pray constantly by Paul which means wherever we are, walking, in the car etc. we can still talk to the Lord who is never too busy to chat with us.
“Pray continually.” (1 Thessalonians 5: 17)
One of the beautiful old hymns realizes what a gift prayer is and singing these words keeps us aware of that.
What a friend we have in Jesus
All our sins and griefs to bear
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer