ALL mercy and grace!

We all have moments when mercy is the furthest thing from our minds.  In fact, if we were totally honest, we neither want to extend mercy, nor are we actively seeking it!  We just want to get "even" and hope no one notices our silliness.  I am so glad we don't serve a God who looks for opportunities to "get even" with us!  Consider this for a moment.  Just how much grace do we really need?  A whole lot and then some more!  


God is all mercy and grace—not quick to anger, is rich in love.  God is good to one and all; everything he does is suffused with grace. 
(Psalm 145:8-9 The Message)

There is only one thing to say to this:  AWESOME!!!!  All God does is "suffused" with grace.  "Overspread with" grace.  Think of a big stack of pancakes.  The rich maple syrup flowing down, enveloping the entire stack in luscious richness and radiant beauty.  Now, that is a picture of God's grace!

Did you see the truth in the first verse?  He is ALL mercy and grace.  There is not just a tiny part of his being which is "graceful" or "merciful".  He is totally and thoroughly mercy and grace.  Some may want to question this with something like, "Then why do some die without being saved?"  Good question, but it never negates the fact of him being ALL mercy and grace.  Even the time he allowed the person, the extension of his grace and mercy time and time again, all point to his being ALL mercy and grace.

This past weekend, the pastor shared a story of a young man with a family.  His struggle with stage IV colon cancer ended in the loss of his life.  It presented some interesting conversation on our way home simply because of the question of God's grace and mercy in the taking of this life.  In fact, when you listened to the man's testimony, he shared quite honestly about his own struggle with the questions his illness presented to him.  He struggled with his faith.  Yet, in the struggle, God (who is ALL mercy and grace) pointed him toward the object of his faith - Jesus!  

He had the opportunity to embrace his disease, in turn embracing more and more of Jesus each day.  Sometimes, we don't see God's grace and mercy in the same manner he does.  We "expect" God's mercy to look one way - we want it to fit our picture of mercy.  In looking back in my life, I can honestly say God's mercy and grace have seldom appeared in the same way I imagined them!  But...it never negates the fact God is ALL mercy and grace.  Even in sickness, certainly in loneliness, abundantly in need, and magnificently in deliverance!

God is good to one and all.  Even the time we are granted is a gift of his goodness.  Each breath we take is another opportunity to experience his goodness - in his grace and his mercy.  Never discount God!  He is ALL mercy and grace!  I am listening to the song, "Indescribable", sung by  Chris Tomlin.  The words echo, "Indescribable! Uncontainable!  All powerful!  Untameable!  You are amazing God!"  This indeed describes our God!

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