Revisiting the Blog world!

Well, I've been absent for awhile now so I thought I should get this started up again. I love having the opportunity to share the things I am learning and also to look back on the things that I have shared in the past. It's a reminder to me of the heart for the Lord that I want to continually strive for.

This morning I dove back into my devotional on mercy. Amazing how the lesson is so closely tailored to what I needed to hear. Here is a snip of what I read....

".....when I come to the Lord after I've blown it, I've only one argument to make.

It's not the argument of the difficulty of the enviroment that I am in.

It's not the argument of the difficult people that I'm near.

It's not the argument of good intentions that were thwarted in some way.

I come to the Lord with only one appeal, HIS MERCY.

I've no other defense.

I've no other standing.

I've no other hope."

-Whiter than Snow, Paul David Tripp

So often when I screw up, whether it be in the eyes of the Lord or the eyes of man, I am quick to jump on the defense. I want to defend my reason for doing what I did. I want to make excuses for myself. I want to be right!!! However, what is more important is that we recognize our downfalls and challenges and try to turn them into the righteousness that God desires in our lives. He doesn't want to hear my excuses or ramblings any more than the people in my life do. He wants me to come to Him humbly in realization that I NEED His Mercy!!!

This morning as I reflect on a discussion I had with a very precious person in my life, I think of how I was in the position of needing his mercy as well. I messed up. I overreacted......such a simple sin...but sin nonetheless. My sin caused hurt, embarrassment, and strife. So I appealed to the mercy of this person in hopes of finding forgiveness, which he granted. I did not deserve that forgiveness. I did not earn it. I had to ask for it, humbly, putting my pride aside, admitting I was wrong. He chose to grant forgiveness because he is a man of God and a man of integrity. Had I been in the same position with someone who did not have such mercy, I don't think things would have worked out so favorably for me.

Just as we need to request forgivess and hope for mercy from those around us, we need to do just that with our Lord and Savior. We also need to thank Him for his forgiveness, as we know it has been granted to us. Just as it tells us in Psalm 51:1, "According to your abundant mercy, blot out my transgressions." His mercy is abundant friends! This is good news! Doesn't mean we can throw caution into the wind and live a life of sin, riding on His mercy. It just means that in our journey of trying to live a righteous life, we can rely on the fact that His mercy will always be enough. No matter how much we screw up, His mercy is ABUNDANT!! It is overflowing. He waits to take us into His arms and wrap us in His mercy and love. We just need to come to Him. Approach the throne of grace my friends, it is overflowing with mercy!!