I love to read! I'm never able to read as much as I wish I could. Right now, I'm reading Lord Monte: The Journey From Nothing To The Throne by Naomi D. Moore (book 2's out now). I read mainly fantasy and sci-fi, which also includes some mythology.
Almost all mythology stories have a god or gods that are distinctly different from our real God. They're proud, ignorant, neglectful, abusive, and/or imperfect; just to name a couple of ways they're different. But one of the most jarring differences that I see is that our good God is full of grace and mercy.
Instead of just leaving us to deal with the mess WE created, Jesus gave His all to clean it up. He didn't do it because He had too, or to fulfill expectations, or to be honored, or to make us owe Him. Jesus gave His life in grace, because He had mercy for each of us. He did this for no other reason than the fact that He loves us so dearly. What a truly good God!
Bonus Fun Fact: Reading can improve your empathy for others.
Think about how much God’s mercy and grace were involved in His plan for our salvation: He rescued us because, in His immense love for us, He had mercy on us and sent His Son full of grace to graciously sacrifice His own life, so that if we choose to accept Him as our Lord and have faith in His unimaginable grace, we could be saved.
We can understand God’s grace and mercy by turning to the Bible. Starting in Lamentations, we’re told that God’s mercies never end. In fact, it says that every morning they’re new, assuring us that God will never grow tired of us because of His mercy. Hebrews describes God’s throne as one of grace. God doesn’t reign over us with harshness, but in and with grace – allowing us to come to Him with confidence, not fear. It says, in Psalms, that God has mercy on all that He’s created. This includes every single human being. The book of John shares that grace comes through Jesus. We must go to Jesus to receive the only true grace, which He offers abundantly to us.
Because of God’s grace and mercy, we receive these things: First, salvation based on faith in God’s grace, not on what we do or how good we are. He knew that we could never be holy on our own, that we all need Jesus. Instead of allowing us to get what we deserve, separation from Him forever, God cared about us and carried out His plan of mercy to rescue us. Secondly, an offer to come to Him in confidence for grace and mercy. In God’s grace, He desires for us to seek Him and His mercy and grace, before turning to anything else – especially when we need help. Lastly, a living hope in Jesus Christ. God’s grace and mercy make a relationship with Jesus possible, which gives us a reason to live and an unbreakable hope of something better.
Here’s what not to do, knowing God’s grace and mercy: Act like we must work to get into heaven – In doing this, we’re saying that God’s grace isn’t true grace, which is false. Believe that our struggle or weakness is more powerful than God’s grace – God’s grace is sufficient in every circumstance and problem. Live a lifestyle without mercy – If God shows us mercy, we need to actively have mercy for others.
God's Guidance:
Lamentations 3:22-23 (ESV) – “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
Hebrews 4:16 (NIV) – “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
Psalm 145:9 (ESV) – “The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made.”
John 1:17 (NIV) – “For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”
Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV) – “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.”
Titus 3:4-7 (NIV) – “But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.”
1 Peter 1:3 (NIRV) – “Give praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. In his great mercy he has given us a new birth and a living hope. This hope is living because Jesus Christ rose from the dead.”
Romans 11:5-6 (ESV) – “So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.”
2 Corinthians 12:9 (ESV) – “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
Luke 6:36 (NIV) – “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”
Application:
1. Remind yourself daily that God’s grace is sufficient for whatever you’ll face
2. Turn to God for grace and mercy first, when you are experiencing hardships
3. Ask God to create in you a more merciful spirit
Strength Point:
God saved us by grace because of His mercy for us.
Reflection Question:
What do you like to read?
Prayer Prompt:
Hi Jesus! Thank You for Your good grace and mercy. You use Your grace and mercy to reach down to us, to save us, to love us! I’m sorry for not sharing Your grace and mercy with others as I should. I’m also sorry for not showing myself grace and mercy, because of __. Help me to live in grace every day, let it change my attitude and __, while __ everything and everyone I touch. I pray that my heart would absorb Your mercy and make it the “why” of all that I do. Create in me, Lord, a more empathetic spirit, so that I would see people the way You do. Teach me, when I fail, that You do not view me any differently as You did before, for You have already paid the penalty through Your grace and mercy. Thank You for so graciously forgiving me even when I hurt You. Thank You for Your new mercy for me every day! I love You so much! In Jesus' Name, I pray, amen.
Prayer to Pray over Others:
Hi Jesus! Thank You for Your good grace and mercy. You use Your grace and mercy to reach down to us, to save us, to love us! Help my friend to share Your grace and mercy with others often. Please remind them that, just as You have shown them grace and mercy, they can be gracious and merciful to themselves as well. Help my friend to live in grace every day, let it change their attitude and views and impact everything and everyone they touch. I pray that their heart would absorb Your mercy and make it the “why” of all that they do. Create in them, Lord, a more empathetic spirit, so that they would see people the way You do. Teach my friend, when they fail, that You do not view them any differently as You did before, for You have already paid the penalty through Your grace and mercy. Thank You for so graciously forgiving us even when we hurt You. Thank You for Your new mercy for us every day! I love You so much! In Your Name, Jesus, I pray, amen.
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