Life has been rather stormy for me in the past 24 months, and honestly, I have found myself stunned in the wake of the waves. In February of 2021, I lost my dad suddenly and was thrust into taking responsibility for my mom who had dementia. Then in November of that same year, I lost my aunt who I had managed the care for. Barely finishing out the “closing out of one life” before having to handle the “closing out” of another was rough, not to mention going through the emotional loss that accompanies the death of loved ones. Then, at the beginning of 2022, out of the blue I lost a major contract that I had held for over 15 years; so as of March 11, 2022, I found myself unemployed. Six months later, in November of 2022, I found my mom deceased in her home.
In addition to my own losses, I have had the stress of watching two people whom I love dearly go through some major, life-altering trials as well. Their heartaches have very much been mine. And then, my husband sustained a shock at losing a long-time employee. Watching him reel from that has hurt my heart and made me concerned for how the stress would affect his health. I mean, the past 24 months have just been a lot to handle. Well, with that backstory in place, let me share with you how God has met me where I was through all of this.
I begin the day with the two devotionals I always read before I begin my actual Bible study. As always, I journal and/or word-study my way through the key verses before I read the actual devotional. (I wanna know what God has to say to me before I read what He said to someone else). Check this out.
Devotional 1: Key verse: “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body as to what you will put on, is life not more than food, and the body more than clothing?” (Matthew 6:25)
God was telling me that life is more than temporal things. When I lost that major contract, I have to admit I was preoccupied with how the loss of income would affect my life. But God was telling me that He would make sure my temporal needs are met, and that I need to focus on making sure HIS kingdom comes first, instead of trying to maintain my own. Can you say ouch?! The rest of this passage speaks of how the birds just do what God created them to do. They don’t worry about food. Then Jesus spoke of how the lilies just grow where they are planted – they do what God created them to do – bloom. Their job – do what God created them to do. God’s job – take care of their needs. I’ve been schooled by birds and flowers, y’all. Oy…
Devotional 2: Key verse: “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need”, (Hebrews 4:16).
Below is the word study from the major words/phrases of this verse.
First, I’m challenged “WHAT” to do…COME: <proserchomai> approach, come near; figuratively, come in worship and assent to. Assent means to agree to or approve of something; to meet together and express agreement.
It’s my responsibility to “come near” in agreement to God’s way of handling things. It requires dying to my own self-sufficiency and humbly deferring to the Lord’s sovereignty.
Then, I am told “HOW” to come… BOLDLY: <parresia> in all out-spokeness, frankness; with assurance. This word speaks of the undoubting confidence of Christians, relative to their fellowship with God.
“Boldly” denotes the level of trust I have in God, and the knowledge that trust increases to the proportion my relationship with Him becomes more intimate and unwavering. Because of my position in Christ, I have the right to approach the throne boldly, but practically speaking, if my relationship with God is lukewarm or cold, coming to Him for help won’t even be on my radar.
SOBERING TRUTH
“Boldness and faith go together; as do fear and unbelief.”
~~Oswald Chambers~~
Then, I am told “WHERE” to come…THE THRONE of grace: <thronos> a stately seat, implying power.
In this passage it means that God’s Throne is the place from which He governs the world. Do you realize the implication of that?! All the things that have come into my life in these past 24 months have been a part of God’s sovereign plan. He is the Governor of the WORLD! He is in control. Nothing takes Him by surprise.
From the Throne, He governs – exercises continuous sovereign authority over – the world.
Put simply, God’s got this!!
Lastly, I am told “WHY” I am to come?…SO THAT I may RECEIVE MERCY and FIND GRACE to HELP in time of need. I am to approach God – to meet with Him and in humility, to recognize that He sovereignly allowed the circumstances that have become a part of my life. With that recognition comes the deference to His will and His way in my circumstance.
BREAKING THAT PHRASE DOWN
“We may receive” <lambano> means to take, get ahold of; to receive what is given; gain, obtain. It’s important to notice the little word “may”. You see, the verb “receive” <lambano> is in the subjunctive mood, which means it holds the mood of possibility or potentiality. It may or may not occur, depending upon the circumstance.
Hmmmm…Depending on what circumstance? Depending on the circumstance of my willingness to “come boldly” to the Throne!! By approaching God, deferring to His way of working things out, I am in a place then to receive what is given. And what’s given???
“Mercy” <eleos> means active compassion; to receive and experience the mercy and compassion God is ready to give us when in trouble. God doesn’t just “feel sorry” for us, and then do nothing about it…any more than we as human parents would do that to our children.
Imagine your child coming to you saying, “Mom, I’m so hungry” and your response being, “Oh my, I feel compassion that you are hungry, sweetheart. What are you gonna do?” Heck no, As a parent, you are gonna have active compassion for that child and give them something to eat.
“That we may find” <heyrisko> means: to find, get, obtain, perceive; see; to find for oneself, acquire; to get possession of by particular care/effort.
Remember how we learned that “we may receive” means there is potential and possibility to receive but it’s not a guarantee? In light of that, what is necessary – what is the care/effort – needed to receive and find?
We must exercise care and effort by “boldly coming” to the Throne of God in prayer. Just like the child comes to the parent and tells of their hunger, confident that their need will be met; so we as God’s children come to Him with confidence that He will help us. What is it that we may “find” in boldly coming to God?
“Grace” <charis> means: graciousness in manner and act; a kindness which bestows upon one what he has not deserved; (especially the divine influence upon the heart and its reflection in the life, including gratitude).
I was moved by the phrase “graciousness in manner AND act“. God’s manner is kindness. He isn’t a mean, resentful heavenly Father who is put-out by our requests. No, He is kind and gentle, as He give us what we need.
Just like the child who has done nothing to merit food for his hunger still approaches the parent on the basis of their relationship, so we come to the Throne knowing there’s nothing we have done to merit His sovereign care, and yet we come because He’s our Abba.
While a child may have to grow in maturity to be grateful for the relationship with their parent and all that accompanies it, we as believers have to grow and mature, learning to be thankful for the mercy and grace we find at God’s throne..
What comes to mind in describing this “coming boldly” to the Throne is Philippians 4:6, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving present your request to God.”
Now brace yourself for this next part! So so good!!!!
The mercy we receive and the grace that we find at the Throne are given TO HELP IN TIME OF NEED.
“To help” <boetheia> means aid; specially, a rope or chain for frapping a vessel.
If you’re like me, you’re thinking, “what the heck is ‘frapping’ a vessel?” Well, here’s the down-low. Frapping a vessel is wrapping a rope around a sail to keep it from tearing as the winds buffet it. It also refers to wrapping a rope or cable around a boat’s bow to keep the boat intact as the waves break against it in a storm. Acts 27:17 speaks of this as the Apostle Paul’s ship was in an angry storm and “they used helps <boetheia>, undergirding the ship”.
“In time of need” <eukairos> means: well-timed; opportune.
DID YOU CATCH THAT?!!!!
When I feel overwhelmed, I can boldly come to God’s throne and know that He will “frap” my life so that the storms don’t cause me to fall apart. And the help He sends is “well-timed” and “opportune”. Webster defines opportune as, “suitable and occurring at the appropriate time”.
God’s help is ALWAYS suitable to the circumstance.
He is NEVER late.
God ALWAYS is right on time.
Oh, I am not even done sharing yet (and you probably wish I were…haha). Hang with me just a little bit longer. After I studied and journaled all this, I saw that a friend had shared Isaiah 26:3 in a group post.
“You will keep in perfect and constant peace
the one whose mind is steadfast [that is,
committed and focused on You –
in both inclination and character],
because he trusts and takes refuge in You
[with hope and confident expectation].” (AMP)
When life’s storms hit, – and man, when they hit, they HIT – we can experience perfect and constant peace in believing that as we come to the Lord’s Throne, He will frap us up. It doesn’t mean the storm will necessarily go away, but it does mean that God’s ropes of mercy and grace are received at just the right time, holding us together so we don’t fall apart.
IT’S DECISION TIME
So all of this leaves me with a choice to make. Am I going to sit in my worry, or am I going to come boldly to God? Jesus promised, “Come unto me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I WILL give you rest.” When I choose His kingdom over my own, when I die to my self-sufficiency and boldly come, His mercy and grace fraps my life, in perfect suitability and timing. It’s then that I can experience perfect and constant peace. Seeing this truth written like that in black and white encourages me to choose to “come boldly”. This girl needs some frapping!! How about you?