The Intersection of Mercy & Grace
Emotion floods my soul. When faced with the incredible Holiness of God you cannot be left untouched. I look in the mirror and, while being aware of the man I have become, I am aware of the man I have yet to become. Oh, to see more of Jesus when I look in the mirror.
We read in scripture that God’s mercies are new every morning. I am so thankful. Each day God makes a willful choice to begin with mercy and lavish His grace on us. If you have entered into a saving relationship with Christ through repentance then please don’t miss the beauty here. His mercy means God does not hold you accountable for that which is not yet in your life. His grace then steps in to help guide you into the next step of faith so that you move past what has been in your life.
God, at the intersection of mercy and grace, takes the person we were yesterday and transforms us into the person He wants us to be today while not holding us accountable to be the person He will transform us to become tomorrow. Life is best lived in the transforming power of the Holy Spirit that makes us new today while setting us free from the bondage of our own expectations of who we will become tomorrow. This is the intersection of mercy and grace.
Drink in the refreshing news. Bask in the glory of this Light. Feel the gentle breeze of the Holy Spirit. God is at work in you today by His mercy and grace. Every day is a mercy and grace moment. Every day is cause to rejoice over the spiritual implications of this truth.
This message of hope is not for us alone. Those of us who have found this intersection have a responsibility to model what God wants to do so others can see God’s heart desire.
We don’t hold others accountable for the person they have not yet matured to become. Each Christ-follower is on a journey of faith. Just as God does not hold us accountable today for who we will become tomorrow, so we also must not burden others with responsibilities they are not yet prepared to bear. We are to be an extension of the mercy of God to others.
When we live out the life of mercy we earn the right to be catalysts through which the grace of God can be discovered. When we don’t treat people like they may deserve to be treated they are much more likely to believe in the Everlasting One who can transform them by His grace.
I am learning a lot lately about living life at the intersection of mercy and grace. In my relationship with my wife, my relationship with my children, my relationship with my staff and other pastors, my relationship with the beautiful people God has called me to serve and in my relationship with my “neighbor,” I am to be a reflection of the mercy and grace of God.
So I journey through this day with mercy and grace as my goal. I need the Holy Spirit to help me because none of us will succeed in this goal on our own. May God grant that we join Him at the intersection of mercy and grace.