Boldly Go
Have you ever felt too full of shame to go to God? Have you ever acted in such a way, given into such a sin, that you feel you cannot approach God’s throne? Guilt and shame are burdens too heavy for us to carry, and they can weigh us down to the point that we cannot bring ourselves to approach God with our sin and shame. When we turn to God’s Word, we find that we are not told to stay away from God because of our sin and shame—we are told quite the opposite.
“This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. 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 4:15-16)
Let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God! We don’t need to be afraid to come to God and confess and ask for help. Jesus understands our weaknesses! Can you imagine? Our King, our Lord, our Savior, understands our weaknesses. We can draw strength from the fact that we can boldly go to God’s throne—and when we do we receive His mercy and grace when we need it most.
“Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, ‘I will confess my rebellion to the LORD.’ And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.” (Psalm 32:5)
“Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.” (Lamentations 3:23)
Our Enemy the devil would love for us to wallow in our guilt and shame. He would love for us to believe his lie that what we have done is too bad and that we cannot approach God with it. Remember this about the devil: he is the father of lies and he was a liar from the beginning. Remember the truth about our loving God.
“And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.” (Romans 8:38)
When Satan’s lies are loud in our ears, we need to stand with Truth and we need to fight with Scripture. Jesus Christ, our High Priest, pleads for us on our behalf to God the Father. Paul was convinced that there is nothing that can ever separate us from God’s love. Nothing. Which means there is nothing you have done that can separate you from God’s love.
“Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.” (Romans 8:34)
“But because Jesus lives forever, his priesthood lasts forever. Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf. He is the kind of high priest we need because he is holy and blameless, unstained by sin. He has been set apart from sinners and has been given the highest place of honor in heaven. Unlike those other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices every day. They did this for their own sins first and then for the sins of the people. But Jesus did this once for all when he offered himself as the sacrifice for the people’s sins. The law appointed high priests who were limited by human weakness. But after the law was given, God appointed his Son with an oath, and his Son has been made the perfect High Priest forever.” (Hebrews 7:24-28)
Do not live in shame and guilt and do not let the shame and guilt of your sin keep you from God. If you give into sin, don’t hide in shame or disgrace; go boldly to the throne of our gracious God, knowing that nothing can separate you from His love. Remember that our High Priest, Jesus Christ, understands our weaknesses. He has paid for your sins, and He is pleading your case before God.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
—Redeemed
