MERCY

I have read this statement several times of late . . .

Grace is God giving us what we don't deserve
             Mercy is God NOT giving us what we DO deserve.

MERCY -- that's been my word of choice these past few days and I have researched it in Scriptures --
            
    I have decided that Grace is a term we sometimes feel is too big for us --- We say Grace - we are thankful for HIS grace in sending Jesus -- Soaking up HIS grace -- Knowing we're redeemed because HIS grace-- but what about the times when we feel we're not GOOD enough for it?  What about the times our failures and disappointments -- low self esteem --creep up on us and we feel we're not ALL that we need to be?  What about the times when we wonder if even God could love us since we haven't done more for HIM??? 

I believe the concept of MERCY is the word that breaks down everyone of those false barriers and draws us into relationship with HIM.   If GRACE is too big an idea -- then hang on to MERCY tight as you can.
If you feel your sins are too huge and no way could HE save you -- cling to his MERCY -- it opens the door to understanding GRACE.
Not accepting this idea of MERCY I believe is what keeps many who've left a relationship with Jesus from running back to HIM.

I grew up in the 50's in a denomination that was big on calling out sin and didn't teach much GRACE b/c of trying to keep us all out of Hell.  I would have to say that my "default" button has always been guilt.  I remember when I first came to embrace Grace my freshman year of college -- it was like a whole new dimension had opened up to me.

A few years later, I was in a group of young seminary student wives -- all having learned the concept of Grace in our late teens ---we were talking about those early years of coming to accept the idea of salvation and how we had doubted we could really be saved.  One young wife said, "I knew there was no way I would get to go to heaven -- so as a child growing up -- I used to take hotter and hotter baths to try to get accustomed to the heat."  We knew Jesus died for our sins -- but believed we still had to DO something about it. It's was like the offer that was just too good to be true or the Publisher's Clearinghouse win that was always for somebody far away.

It's the "buzz" word in the book of Psalms -- the psalmist always crying out for mercy --
The book of Micah says that God delights to show mercy. 

A newer translation of Lamentations 3 calls mercies - compassions -- I like that it shows HE understands us -- HE "gets" us.

It's early morning as I blog -- I know that once again today  HIS mercy is new -- it's fresh.   

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
    for his compassions (mercies) never fail.
²³ They are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.

-- the overwhelming rush of renewal that mercy brings, we receive it each and EVERY day -- cleansing us -- making us new!