Mercy's Punch

We have a family recipe for some of the best party punch in the state! All who taste it fall in love with it immediately! I had bought the ingredients for the punch for a shower I hosted, and had some left over. I let the kids know that I would make them a special batch of it! They were extremely excited to say the least :-). In the time it took me to make the punch, my 7 year old son decided to disobey me. He went to time out, we had a talk, he apologized to me, and we prayed to God for forgiveness. I gave him a hug and a kiss and sent him on his way. A few minutes later, I poured him and the other kids a cup of punch, just like I had intended. I heard a whisper in my heart that said, “This is mercy”.

Psalm 1a&2

Be merciful and gracious to me, O God, be merciful and gracious to me, for my soul takes refuge and finds shelter and confidence in You.. I will cry to God Most High, Who performs on my behalf and rewards me [Who brings to pass His purposes for me and surely completes them]!

My son disobeying me did not deter me from my purpose for him. He had to face consequences for his actions, and he had to come to me for reconciliation. However, his actions did not change the fact that he is my son and it did not change the fact that I want to bless him. I am not a more merciful parent than God is to me. When I sin, I may have to face consequences for what I’ve done, and I need to go to God to be reconciled with Him through His forgiveness. When He chooses to still bless me and complete His purpose for me, I am receiving His mercy in spite of all my imperfections.

Ephesians 2:4-7

But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.

God isn’t kind to us because we deserve it. He is kind to us because He is a merciful, loving God. I may have added up many mistakes in my life, but His wealth of grace is greater than my sins! I was dead in my sins and He still died for me. What love He has lavished upon me that I should be called His child! I didn’t care anything about Him, and yet He died for me. Do I really think that my mistakes are bigger than His passion to save and redeem me? NO. His mercy reaches me in every dark place and helps me walk in the light again.

Nothing can stop His love from fulfilling His purpose in my life. This is not a license for me to sin – it gives me an unstoppable desire to love Him all the more with every part of my life!

God thank You so much for being so rich in mercy toward me. You loved me when I didn’t love You. You were faithful to me when I was unfaithful to You. You forgive me, restore me, and reward me despite my imperfections. I pray that I live a life of gratitude for Your mercy and walk with my head held high along with Jesus by my side. Please help me to be as merciful with others when they hurt or offend me as You have been with me.

#mercy