Hebrews 4:16 (NET)“Therefore let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace whenever we need help.”
Yomi noticed that, unlike him, Gbenga seemed to walk consistently in the divine nature and enjoy the benefits of the divine life. The promises of God appeared to find expression in Gbenga’s life with remarkable ease.
This puzzled Yomi.
“I quote the same scriptures that Gbenga quotes,” he thought to himself. “Why don’t they seem to produce the same results in my life?”
After living with Gbenga for some time, Yomi began to observe a significant difference. Gbenga was not merely a hearer or confessor of God’s Word; he lived a life of sincere devotion and obedience before the Lord. His lifestyle reflected a genuine pursuit of holiness.
Yomi realized that this was one reason why Gbenga was able to appropriate the promises of God so effectively.
In today’s passage, notice that from the throne of grace, mercy is received but grace is found.
To receive something, we simply ask for it. But to find something, we must seek for it. This agrees with the words of Jesus: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find” (Matthew 7:7).
Mercy gives us right standing with God. Through God’s mercy, we receive forgiveness and are accepted in Christ. Grace, however, is God’s empowerment at work in us. It is grace that enables us to walk in holiness, overcome sin, and appropriate the privileges that belong to us as children of God.
This is why Scripture teaches that holiness is essential for God’s people to fully possess their inheritance (Obadiah 1:17).
How then do we find grace?
We find grace through diligent fellowship with God’s Word. The Word of God is a lamp that illuminates our path, while the Holy Spirit supplies the light and understanding that bring the Word to life in our hearts.
As we listen to, study, and meditate on the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit imparts faith and reveals God’s provision for our particular areas of need. Through this process, grace is formed and strengthened within us.
The promises of God become living realities as we believe them and act upon them. Through faith, we connect with grace, and through grace, we are empowered to partake of the divine nature and escape the corruption that is in the world through lust (2 Peter 1:4).
As you go into today, remember that mercy is received, but grace is found. Seek diligently in God’s Word, and allow the Holy Spirit to illuminate His promises to your heart. There you will find the grace you need for every challenge and every season of life.
Prayer: Father, help me to find grace through Your Word. Strengthen me by Your Spirit and empower me to finish my race victoriously. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
