Hebrews 4:16 “Let us boldly draw near to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

“I hate to break this to you, SportsCenter, but Coco Gauff was not ‘soaking it all in’ at this moment. She was praying. She has been very open about her Christian faith in the past. It is obvious what she is doing.” Tony Dungy, Hall of Fame NFL Coach, wanted to make sure everyone knew that Coco was praying.

We live in a post-Christian Sports culture where we denigrate Tim Tebow for kneeling and praying after scoring a touchdown or redefine Coco’s prayer after winning the US Open. Instead, we celebrate when Colin Kaepernick and Megan Rapinoe kneel in protest against America during our national anthem.

Coco Gauff had something to say after she won her first Masters 1000 in August: “I would like to thank my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I spent a lot of nights alone, crying trying to figure it out. I thank Him for covering me.” When Coco prays, she is communing with God through Jesus Christ in thanksgiving, but not for winning tournaments – for covering her in her trials.

She rocked the tennis world by being the youngest qualifier in Wimbledon history at 15, beating Venus Williams in the first round. Now, at only 19 years old, she has won her first US Open title.

As a member of the Saint John Missionary Baptist Church in Boynton Beach, Florida, she has always been willing to speak publicly about how important her faith in Christ, and prayer life, is to her and her family.

In a 2019 interview with the New York Times, Gauff explained her custom before she stepped on the tennis court: “Before every match since I was 8, my dad and I say a prayer together. We do not pray for victory, just that me and my opponent stay safe. After the match, I was thanking God for this opportunity.” Prayer – approaching God through her Savior – is the lifestyle of a Christian. But how does prayer work?

In this week’s verse, to “draw near” to God is used throughout the Bible to describe a Christian’s prayer life – to approach God as our Father, through His Son Jesus Christ, as we share our hearts in thanksgiving just for who He is: “All the congregation drew near and stood in the presence of the Lord” (Leviticus 9:5), “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith…” (Hebrews 10:22).

What Coco Gauff modeled to secular America was how she, through her personal relationship with Jesus Christ, can draw near to God the Father whenever she wants simply because she knows Him personally.

How can she do this? We only have to read the 2 prior verses: “Seeing that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For 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” (Hebrews 4:14-15). Because Coco confesses Jesus as Lord and Savior, He is her high priest who intercedes on her behalf to the Father, to bring her prayers to God’s “throne of grace.”

Hebrews 7:25 makes an even stronger point: “Jesus Christ is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, since He ever lives to make intercession for them.” Do you get this? Jesus “ever lives” to intercede for Christians as they pray. Jesus gets excited – fired up – to bring your prayers to His Father!

And, when this week’s verse says to draw near “boldly,” it means be courageous to speak before someone of great rank or power. Christians may come before God and speak plainly and honestly, without fear of shame or punishment. How is this possible? Aren’t most of us afraid to be too real with God when we pray?

Listen to Hebrews 10:19: “Having boldness to enter the Holy of Holies by the blood of Jesus Christ, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh.” When Jesus died on the Cross, Mark 15:38 says “The veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.” In the temple, God the Father resided in the Holy of Holies behind the veil. No one except the high priest could ever go behind the veil. Now, with the death of Jesus Christ as the payment for sins, the veil has been removed.

This means anyone who places their life in the hands of Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior can boldly come into God’s presence “behind the veil” by a “new and living way” – Jesus Christ – who pleads on our behalf as our High Priest with His Father as we pray! Coco Gauff is simply showing us the beauty of eternal life – free, unabashed, bold prayer to her heavenly Father. Glory to God and His Son Jesus Christ!
“The Evidence of Faith’s Substance”_ Article #570