"There's grace for this!"

Grace is a big deal at my church. And it should be - grace sums up God's disposition toward his kiddos. Wayne Grudem defines grace in his book Bible Doctrine as "God's goodness toward those who deserve only punishment." So simple - yet so weighty. We deserve God's just punishment for our sins - yet he sent Jesus to die as our substitute, take all the wrath due to us, and credit us with the reward of heaven that only he deserved. We deserve God's just punishment for our sins - yet, for his children, his help is available to fight against anything that would displease him and do eternal harm to us (basically our sin). Grace is a big deal, and I'm glad my church makes much of it.

However, my church also has a very specific 'lingo', and one of the things that is oft repeated in the lobby and whispered in the bathroom to struggling congregants is "there's grace for this..."

I was standing at my kitchen island one night recounting my weariness in my struggle against discontent.

And then it came.

"Kari, there's grace for this," my husband said.

My hands flew to my forehead and I said "Don't say that! I know scripture promises there's grace for me, but how do I practically access it!? I feel like I just need a big draught - where's the bar?!"

"Since then 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 is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." --Hebrews 4:14-16

This passage tells me to draw near to God confident in my mediator, Jesus. Through his death, Jesus has made it possible for me to boldy approach his father without the fear of wrath, and ask for help in time of need.

So what does "drawing near with confidence" look like? First of all, we must have put our trust in Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins. Without the "great high priest" this passage talks about, we cannot approach confidently, because the sin that has separated us from God is still separating us. Only by repenting of our sin against God and trusting Jesus to have taken all the punishment we deserve for them can we draw near.

I would contend that step two (after accepting Jesus as the savior we need) will always be humbly praying, and in our prayers, simply asking for this grace. With our heart postured in this way before God, any other means of help we pursue will be more effective. The advice of other believers may, sadly, fall on deaf ears if we haven't humbly asked God to allow us to accept good counsel. Hearing God's word preached may not penetrate a hard heart we haven't asked God to soften. Reading scripture may be inigmatic if we haven't asked God to open it up to us.
By crying out in prayer with a heart submitted to the will of God, we're posturing ourselves to recieve the grace we long for.

Since that night, I've "found the bar" - and there's nothing sweeter than falling down at the feet of my father - rich in mercy, full of love, eager to help - and just saying "abba, father, I'm weak. Help me." And he has more "grace to help in time of need" than I could ever use up.