It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23 (KJV)
There is something wonderful about waking up before the dawn. All is still and quiet, the house is dimly lit, and it’s pitch black outside. The best part is, I get a front row seat for the sunrise. I never know what it’s going to be, but I am never disappointed.
Misty mornings take my breath away as sunrays punch holes through the fog, shining like spotlights on the dew-kissed earth. Snowy mornings are spectacular. When the sun hits just the right spot, the field looks like a white cotton blanket sprinkled with diamonds. One Valentine’s Day, the sky was a lovely pink with gold and lavender streaks. I received that sunrise as a personal gift from the One who made it; and yes, I thanked Him. This morning, the eastern sky looked like a distant forest fire. There is no forest, and there was no fire, just Light piercing the darkness in a beautiful blaze of glory.
So, what’s up with the sunrises you ask? Mercy! Fresh, new, unadulterated, desperately needed mercy. It comes with every morning. I love that!
Fresh Mercy
If we are honest, we could all use a steady dose of mercy. Try as we might to do well and live well, we fail sometimes. Truth be told, we fail more than we dare admit to anyone, and occasionally in ways we hate to admit to ourselves. We remember that God is there but fear the divine scolding and keep going our way. The sad thing is, we forget the whole of who God is and how He is, so we forego the mercy. Here’s the deal, God’s compassion is as vast as the heavens and as varied as the sunrises He sends each morning. I’m thankful for that because I do some pretty stupid things and could use some of that creative mercy.
How About You
Could you use some mercy? Have you gone to places in your life you never thought you’d go, perhaps done some things you never thought you’d do? Are you running; too afraid to stop and too tired to keep going? Have you thought you’ve gone beyond the reach of mercy and wondered how or why God would want to extend it to you? His compassion is based on His love for you and He demonstrated it in a very profound way. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16 Perhaps you’re experiencing sorrow of heart and the pain of that sorrow has worn you out. Jesus made a pretty sweet offer. Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28
Perhaps today is one of those messy days and you feel you’ve drained the mercy pool. Take heart, friend. The sun will rise tomorrow and will bring with it a whole new batch of mercy.
God bless you and keep you,
Roxanne
Unless otherwise noted, scripture references are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Pictures compliments of Pixabay Creative Commons
2018 was quite a year. I’d say bittersweet is an appropriate descriptor. My first post was a 
Life’s Lessons
I’ve asked my husband many times about his love for me. You know the questions I’m talking about, the kind that make a man want to bang his head against the wall. I found a letter on my pillow not long ago that answered my questions. Seven pages detailed his love, admiration and respect.
I have another letter, timeless and treasured. It speaks of a higher love, a greater love. This love transcends time and space and was declared long before this ‘lover of my soul’ ever spoke the words, “Let there be…” The letter is lengthy; its message deep.
The day was long and dismal; the haters many. Evil enjoyed its finest hour as the Savior of the World hung dying on a cross. Darkness seized the day. Mockers shouted blasphemous cruelty at the One who came to seek and save that which was lost. While gamblers parted His garments, the Son-of-Man made provision for His mother and gave eternal hope to a dying thief.
It was the third day. Morning came and the last vestige of night rolled away with the stone. The Son of God rose with power, conquering the very death that once slew Him. Women came to anoint His body for a proper burial but He wasn’t there. The tomb lay empty, housing nothing more than a linen napkin and the empty shell of grave cloths. Life and Light conquered death and darkness; and every hope once buried with Christ rose with Him. And so we live.
Most all of us have been there before. You know, that place where your ‘should-have-been’ and your ‘wish-it-was’ doesn’t line up with your ‘how-it-is’. It’s not a fun place to be but there I was. I didn’t say anything, at least not out loud but the statement was made all the same. “Lord, I don’t know how to be anymore.” I wasn’t looking for an answer. I didn’t ask a question. Silent but sure the answer came, “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” 
I sat alone, thinking after prayer meeting one morning. My mind wandered a bit until my eye caught the cross over the baptistery. It’s a simple cross; sanded, stained and varnished to match the rest of the wood in the church. It lends a respectful nod to the cross of long ago but lacks the rugged, brutal character of the one on which our Savior died.
Hopefully Devoted 