His Loving Arms Of Grace
We do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:15-16
In one of the churches where my husband was pastor, I taught a woman’s class on Sunday mornings. It was a group of about 12 to 15 women who were mothers of children varying in ages. We would always begin our class with prayer requests and then pray. At first it was very general and “safe” prayer requests. What I mean by “safe” was no one opened their heart to share what was truly burdening them. They were afraid to be vulnerable with one another; afraid that others would judge them for what was going on in their home, or lives.
Then one morning we had a breakthrough or some may say a breakdown. One woman was so terribly burdened by what was going on in the life of one of her children she could no longer contain herself. She started sobbing as she tried to share her brokenness. Immediately we all jumped out of our seats and surrounded her with love, comfort and acceptance as we huddled together to pray for her and her precious family.
Jesus, our High Priest literally came down to our level, became human and thus He understands our feelings. His nail-scarred hands prove His love for us. He longs for us to know that He cares, that we can run to Him in our weakness, and He will always be there, with His tender arms of grace, loving and accepting us.
God’s desire is that we accept His grace and in turn offer it to others. Jesus knows everything about us, the good the bad and the ugly, yet He still loves and accepts us when we truly come to Him. So if we are to be understood by others, we must risk facing and telling the truth about our own lives.
Our busy lives make it so difficult to find safe places to express our needs. We think to ourselves, “If I am honest with the way I truly feel then they won’t want to be my friends.” Or, “I was open once and I was betrayed, I will never make that mistake again.” True healing comes from confessing our faults to one another and praying for one another. It is sharing our needs and concerns with one another that we can find true healing, comfort and grace.
Do you know God’s unconditional grace and love? Have you felt the arms of your heavenly Father around you through the love and acceptance of others? Today, think of someone in your life that may need you to be God’s extension of His loving arms of grace.
Dear Lord, I thank you for your love and grace you bestow up me every day. Help me to be truly open and honest with you and others by allowing You and others into the places I am most weak and vulnerable and in need of your cleansing and healing. In so doing may I then be able to offer grace and healing to others through my prayers in Your name. Amen.
Joining you in this lovely prayer sis, love you.
I’ve never heard the term “safe” prayer before but I can certainly understand it. After many of us have been burned and gossiped about when we open up and share our hurts and fears with others in prayer it becomes very difficult to share our prayers in groups.
I would advise caution in this area and only share you private concerns with people you know and trust and even then you can be stabbed in the back. 99% of our prayers should be done in our prayer closets to our heavenly Father. He will never let you down.
Wonderful post Michele. I have found that when we share freely, we expose what the enemy is trying to do in our lives. Suddenly the burden is shared and the load isn’t so heavy.
I pray your post will encourage others to trust.
Bless you!
Beth
Oh Michele,
I have watching this kind of healing in a small group. Thank you for reminding me that I need to keep judgments from my heart and love people. Hugs.
Amen – how beautiful and wondrous it is to think of the incarnation – God coming to earth.
“Love so amazing, so divine
Demands my soul, my life, my all”
Sharing in a small group can be very intimidating. The fear of rejection is huge. Even bigger is the fear of a confidence broken. Have had it happen both ways in some of the small groups I’ve led or been a part of.
Great devo, sis. Love you.
is this photo ” His loving arms of grace” available as a print to be purchased?