Isaiah 41:10 NKJV
Lamentations 3:22-23 NKJV
Exodus 33:17-19 NKJV
Romans 9:14-16 ESV
Titus 3:4-7 NKJV
Hebrews 4:16 NKJV
From the Beginning
I recently went through a ‘rough patch’ in a relationship and it was very painful. Without going into detail, I will say I was caught in the middle of a lifelong battle two people have faced all their lives.
I was reminded how difficult life can be.
I was angry that I was caught in the middle and I was confused about why God allowed me to have the experience.
Just before it happened, God gave me time set apart from the world. My car broke down and I spent three days in a motel room praying.
God gave me Isaiah 41:10 as an anchor.
Isaiah 41:10 says:
Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’
I didn’t know why my car broke down. I didn’t know God was preparing me for what was about to happen. I did know that God was holding onto me tightly.
THAT was God’s mercy at work in my life.
In Lamentations 3:22-23 we read, “Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.”
Even though the experience was painful, through it all God prepared me, God encouraged me by giving me Isaiah 41:10 to hold onto. God was and is faithful and His mercy was apparent.
In Exodus 33:17-19 we read, “And the Lord said to Moses, “This very thing that you have spoken I will do, for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.” Moses said, “Please show me your glory.” And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.”
When God spoke these words to Moses the Golden Calf was behind them. I cannot begin to imagine what the UNfaithful act of the Golden Calf would have felt like to God. These were HIS chosen people. He faithfully brought them out of Egypt and was merciful to them. He opened the Red Sea and made it so they could cross through on dry ground. God swallowed up the Egyptian soldiers so they would not chase them anymore. God provided food and water for them daily. God gave them everything they needed.
Still, when Moses went up the mountain to meet with God, they turned their back on God and made a golden idol so they could worship it.
God could have consumed all of them, leaving only the few who did not turn from Him, but God was merciful. As a result of their unfaithfulness, God did not let that generation enter the Promised Land. They wandered in the wilderness until that generation had passed away. That’s why they wandered for forty years. God was merciful to His children.
The Apostle Paul quoted Exodus 33:19 in Romans 9:14-16 when he wrote, “What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not! For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.” So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.”
Paul was reminding the Church at Rome of God’s enduring mercy to His children. Paul was telling them God had been merciful to Israel in the wilderness EVEN when they had been so unfaithful, and He would be merciful to them now. God knew what the Church in Rome was about to face. God knew the fury of the Roman government was about to be unleashed on ‘the people of the Way’ of Jesus (who were later called Christians). Paul was telling them even though things were about to get really tough, God would continue to be merciful to them.
God called their name. God sent His Son and because of His mercy, He saved us and sent His Spirit to regenerate and renew us in the name of Jesus. By His grace we do not need to be afraid (Isaiah 41:10). We have the hope of eternal life.
We read in Titus 3:4-7 “But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
We DO NOT need to be afraid. Hebrews 4:16 tells us, “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
God is Merciful and He offers Grace.
Boldly we obtain God’s Grace and Mercy.
Today’s Spiritual Practice is: Boldly Receive God’s Mercy
Ask God for His Mercy and receive it.
In God, Deborah
acrazyjourney.com
Comments