THRONE OF GRACE
Someone we care about dies suddenly, and amidst the shock of the news and the profound grief, a question often arises in the mind of the believer: "Where did my loved one go?" Or, "Were they at peace with God when they died?"
Granted, these are big questions, and ultimately only God knows the fate of human beings, but what might give us guidance and comfort in the midst of the upset?
I offer Hebrews 4: 14-16: "Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are - yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."
From this we learn that Jesus has gone before us and that Jesus empathizes with our weaknesses. I understand God to be just and merciful. We can view "the throne of grace" as a place where mercy and justice meet. And we can commend our loved one in prayer to that very place.
As the scripture says, let us approach that throne with confidence, so that we might find grace to help us in our time of need.
Paul can be reached at pastor@ stdavidsdelta.com.
