Being Heard
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This morning we are going to be looking at this passage from Hebrews 4:16:
16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Here, Paul tells us that we must approach the throne with confidence. Why would Paul feel like this is an important issue to present. That we must approach with confidence? Is it because we should be fearful in approaching God with prayer? Because we may not get what we want, but instead be confident because if you cross your fingers and ask just right, you may get it? Because we could be smote at any moment, so be confident that God’s not going send down lightening bolts?
I don’t think so.
I think that the reason Paul says we can be confident in approaching the throne is because we can be assured that our prayers are heard.
In early child development it’s essential that younger children, who are beginning to talk, feel heard. If you are around younger children, you know that the word “no” is used often! They become “no” addicts. Younger children experiment with the word no because they see that it can create verbal boundaries. It’s the parent’s job to help their realize that what they say matters. For instance, if you ask a child if they want a cookie for dessert and they say no, it’s important that we honor that no. If later that evening they ask for the cookie they never received, it’s our job to remind the gently that they said no to that cookie that was offered them earlier. It’s not to be mean or difficult, but instead it’s important that we show our children that their words have power and they are heard.
Because if that pattern continues, and our children don’t feel like they are heard and their words are respected, it can have drastic consequences into adulthood. They turn into adults who are not quick to give their honest opinion and can never say no when people ask them favors or ask them to hang out or ask them to participate in an activity, because they grew up believing that their words don’t have any power. And those are the types of people that are burn out and exhausted because they feel like they can never say no when their friends ask them to hang out or help them move.
It’s not always the parents fault when adults end up in these situation, but my point is that it’s important that all of us children all the way through to adults feel heard and like our words matter.
There’s nothing worse then being in a conversation with someone where it feels like you’re not being heard. All of us can relate right? Your talking to someone about something you’re really passionate about or really care about and you can kind of see their eyes gloss over. You can see their eyes begin to wander. And they start saying mhmm but you can tell that they aren’t actually listening. Or maybe your talking to someone and suddenly there’s a chime and they reach for their phone and they begin replying to a text while your talking. Or your having a conversation in a group and you say something but no one hears you and they continue talking on and on. Even now, in cities all over the world there are people protesting, our black brothers and sisters, who are protesting why? Because they feel like they aren’t being heard.
There’s nothing worse than not feeling heard.
And I think that this is why Paul says what he says in Hebrews:
16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence
Confidence, not because we are worried we wont get what we want but confidence because we know our voice will be heard.
We can have confidence that no matter what we share in the throne room of God, whether it’s something that we are passionate about, whether it’s thankgiving, or if it’s something that makes you happy or something your disappointed about, all of it is welcome in the throne room. More than that all of it is heard, and felt by our lord and creator.
He hears you. He cares about what your saying. But it’s even more than that. Read on.
16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Not only does God hear you and care about what you’re praying, but he is prompted to respond. Our prayers move the heart of God and he then responds with his mercy and grace directly into our hearts and directly into our situations.
There’s grace for the things your happy about, grace for the things your sad about, grace for things your passionate about, grace for the things your advocating for, grace for your difficult request and grace for your thanksgiving.
It begins with coming into the throne room of God and there finding a God who hears you, who cares, who is moved, and who responds with grace and mercy.