‘As the deer pants for streams of water so my soul pants for you, O God’. (Psalm 42:1)Freedom of speech has been in the news this week following the multiple stabbing of Sir Salman Rushdie at the Chautauqua Institution in New York and the subsequent death threats to J.K. Rowling over her support for him.
Attacks on freedom of speech are nothing new. In New Testament times, freedom of speech was restricted and people who violated the rules were punished, which is why the following verse is so significant: ‘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 4:16 NKJV)
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The word ‘boldly’ comes from a Greek word that was used to refer to freedom of speech. It depicts a person who speaks his mind with great confidence. I find this tremendously encouraging because it means we can come before the throne of God and say whatever is on our minds. Nothing is too big or too small to bring before God. We need not fear that we are too frank, too forthright, or too ashamed when we bare our hearts to God or request his help. He wants to hear what we have got to say.
When we go in this way to the Lord in prayer, we never need to worry that we will receive a death threat from him, no fatwa will be placed on our heads. Rather, the promise held out to us is that we will ‘obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need’ – may that fill us with confidence.
Have a good week speaking with God,
