Let us therefore with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

In this passage from Hebrews 4:16, the author has just been telling us of Jesus our high priest, who is not unable to sympathize with our weakness, but was in every respect tempted as we are, yet without sin. In particular He understands our weaknesses, and is ready and willing and able to give us the mercy that we need, and the grace, that is the wherewithal to help in time of need. So the therefore in this verse, connects it with this thought. In other words, it is for this reason that we can come with confidence before the throne of grace.

In a related verse we are told that when we come to Him, He will in no wise cast us out. God is not like us, He is willing to forgive over and over and over again. In fact this is the very reason the Father sent the Son. As the ancient hymn has it Jesus knows our every weakness. Of course in order to receive His mercy and His grace, we do need to admit that we have sinned, and we do need to repent and turn from it. When we do this we can come confidently, or boldly as another translation puts it , unto Him knowing that He will forgive us and that He will help.

Sometimes the greatest difficulty we have is in forgiving ourselves. The guilt and the shame can overpower us, and levers without relief, since we feel the need to punish ourselves by not forgiving ourselves. The problem is that this leaves us hurt an isolated. And it gives the accuser of the brethren, the opportunity to further kill and to steal and to destroy in our lives.

There is a sense in which it is false humility to refuse to forgive ourselves. This is because, whether we realize it or not, we are saying that the sacrifice of the perfect Son of God was not enough to cover my odious sin. And when we do this we disparage the incredible sacrifice that Jesus Christ made for us on the cross. This is surely part of what it means to trample the blood of Jesus Christ under our foot (Hebrews 10:19). So we need to see our self unforgiveness as sin. I say this not to lay further condemnation on us, but rather to see that when we see this as sin, then the way is clear as to what we need to do. In particular that we need to repent and turn from the sin, that is we need to forgive ourselves. And then we need to come boldly before the throne of grace that we may receive mercy an grace to forgive ourselves and so begin the process of becoming whole.

Father I thank you this morning that your grace is greater than all my sin. I thank you that you have promised that when I confessed my sin, you are faithful and just to forgive me forgive me my sin, and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness. Lord let me never ever take this for granted, let me ever come before you morning by morning in thankfulness. I receive again this morning your mercy, your grace and your life, and I choose to be thankful for all that you are, and all that you do in Jesus name. Amen