It's been a long time since I've typed a post like this. The style dates back to the days of TMsquared, so I've decided to put it up here, despite it already being on my blog. Besides, going into Hebrews was inspired by something I read in Brother Lawrence's book.
A few days ago (I can't remember exactly whether it was Tuesday or Wednesday), I scanned the book of Hebrews for the verse on 'approaching the throne of grace with confidence', and found it in the fourth chapter. Reading from my pocket New American Standard Bible, I was struck by the preceding verses, linked in groups by the word 'therefore'.
I shall first quote Hebrews 4:7-16 from the NASB (paragraphing mine).
He again fixes a certain day, "Today," saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before,
"TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE,
DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS."
For if Joshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken of another day after that. So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His.
Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience. For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.
Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.
Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
The New International Version begins the passage with:
"Therefore God again set a certain day, calling it Today..."
Today if we hear his voice, let us not harden our hearts. To me, it's like what C.S. Lewis wrote in The Screwtape Letters, that the Present is the only place where we are given grace and can make decisions and choices. The Past is frozen and the Future is unknown, but our problems and circumstances impinge upon us in the Present.
Petra wrote, in their song 'Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda':
"Tomorrow is a chance that may not come
Today is still the day God gives us to see things done."
Since God has given us this gift of the Present which no power in earth, heaven or hell can take away, how are we to respond? Verses 11 to 13 indicate that we are to be diligent to enter God's rest, persevering that none should fall by disobedience.
But what is this 'rest' that we are to enter? Surely it is not that we are to sleep all day, or desire permanent rest in death. Instead, I think St Augustine gave us a hint when he said, "Our hearts are restless until they find their rest in Thee." And I think it is echoed in the life of Brother Lawrence, who found himself at all times living in the tangible presence of God.
Sometimes, this rest is peace; sometimes, it is assurance; at others, it may be conviction; at all times it involves constantly obeying God's Word and pursuing righteousness, desiring the company and presence of God.
The 'Word of God' in this passage has often been taken to refer to the Bible, but it works equally well in context when applied to Jesus Christ himself. Brian McLaren in his New Kind of Christian trilogy, again and again stresses that we will be judged, in the end, not by a set of rules or a court system, but by the character of Christ himself. The question is, how much have we been conformed to the image of Christ?
Nothing is hidden from God, and we will not be able to defend ourself against our Judge, for he already knows everything, and far more than we ever will. A human judge can only consider actions, but God pierces through to the secret thoughts and intentions of the heart, as the account of the woman at the well (John 4) shows. Thus the NIV translates verse 13:
"Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account."
Would that the Christian walk were that simple! Yet these verses are a stumbling block to many (if not most or all) Christians, for we have all fallen short of the grace of God through our sin, and sometimes we even try to hide from him. This is not new, for even Adam, Eve and Cain attempted to conceal their shame. And in the account of John 8:1-11, Jesus himself told the bloodthirsty mob, "Let him who is without sin cast the first stone [at the adulterous woman]." One by one the mob disbanded.
But our hope is greater than anything we can ever fear. For Jesus, who is our Judge, is also our Great High Priest, the mediator between man and God. He experienced everything we experience, from temptation and thirst to depression and drudgery; indeed, the entire plethora of human emotions are found embodied in the character of Jesus Christ, and there is no shortage of them upon the rich pages of the Gospels.
Jesus can, and does, sympathise with our weaknesses. And he intends that we share in his victory, that in our temptation we may not fall, and in our moments of weakness we shall not be crushed. Indeed, he is the Way, the Truth and the Life. So the NIV exhorts us:
"...let us hold firmly to the faith we profess."
Having considered God's calling, our rightful response and the way God has prepared for us, the passage concludes with the verse I sought in the beginning, which I now quote from The Message, along with verse 15:
"We don't have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He's been through weakness and testing, experienced it all —- all but the sin. So let's walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help."
The chorus of the song 'As David Did' goes:
"We can come before Him, and worship Him today
We can now adore Him, Jesus made a way."
Maybe we've tried bringing our problems to Jesus. And maybe they didn't disappear as we thought they would. Is that any reason for not continuing to do so? For seated on the throne of grace is not a genie, but God Almighty, and it is not our duty to make sure the genie obeys, but that God is obeyed. And he asks us to bring all that we are before him: our good days as well as our bad days, our devilish side as much as our angelic side.
Indeed, as Lewis wrote in The Great Divorce, we are to make no mistake about it. There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, "Thy will be done," and those to whom God says, "Thy will be done." For God will not force himself upon those who refuse to obey him, any more than the ears of the deaf pick up sound waves.
As I typed the above, I realise I have described an ideal which I am still far from achieving. Lewis said with a candid graveness in The Four Loves, that "Those like myself whose imagination far exceeds their obedience are subject to a just penalty."
Nevertheless, this entry testifies that so long as God gives me breath, I will seek him, and I will commit myself to living for Him in every area of my life, doing things His way. If I fail, I will seek His forgiveness; and if I should succeed, I will give thanks and move on. As for the penalty for my imagination, I will trust my Lord's judgement, for He is Master, not me.
To God be the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
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