Come Boldly

Since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. . . . So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

Hebrews 4:14, 16

When I was in college preparing to be a teacher, I was fascinated by different learning styles. The way our brains process information and how we communicate is very complex. I am someone who processes information verbally, which explains why I tend to leave long phone messages.

Yes, I am an out-loud processor who sometimes gets overly excited and says too much. It can be embarrassing. Most men do not like hearing all the details, so I am horrified if I leave a fun message for a friend whose husband happens to hear it. Unlike me, Mark processes and summarizes information very logically. He figures out what he is going to say before he says a word, while I think out loud.

When I read today’s verses from Hebrews, I was so relieved. God clearly wants us to come boldly to Him, whether we blurt out all our thoughts or present them logically. He does not care how we express them. He simply wants us to come to Him. It is better to get things out with God than to hold back, because He knows our hearts either way. Not only is it cleansing to confess, rant, and rave to Him about someone hurting you or decisions you must make, but talking with God first can prevent us from gossiping about an issue with a friend. Spending time with Him gives Him the opportunity to work on our hearts and show us if our feelings and rantings are misguided, and He sends His calming Spirit to settle us.

God will always have the right response to us. He wants us to come to Him as we are, no matter what our communication style may be. How freeing is that!

Because of Christ and our faith in Him, we can come boldly and confidently into God’s presence. Write down Ephesians 3:12 as a reminder to share with Him whatever is on your heart today.