by Alisha | May 13, 2013 | Uncategorized
Lamentations 3:22-23 (NKJ) Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.
Have you ever had one of those days where you mess up, slip up or flat out sin? You feel like a complete and utter failure. You may even wonder if you reached the limit of the mercy of God.
One evening as I was getting ready for bed, I found myself going over the day’s events in my mind. And I realized how I had behaved – how I had missed it. I don’t remember the exact details, maybe I hadn’t walked in love to someone or perhaps I didn’t fully obey the Lord in something. Whatever it was, I was inwardly chiding myself for it.
I remember thinking, “Thank God, His mercies are new every morning…I wish it were already morning!” And as I was having this conversation in my head, the Lord spoke to my heart and said, “It’s always morning somewhere in the world, so just receive My mercy now.”
That was so basic, but it came as such revelation to me! I had never thought about that simple truth.
It’s kind of like the plague of frogs in Exodus chapter 8. In verses 9-10, Moses told Pharoah to set the time for when he wanted Moses to pray that their houses would be rid of the frogs and Pharoah said, “Tomorrow.” Huh? Have you ever wondered why he didn’t say, “Right now! Please, I beg you!” ???
I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t have wanted to spend another night with frogs all over the place!
So why should I have thought that I had to spend another night before receiving the Lord’s mercy and compassion for my failures?
I’m so thankful that I didn’t! Aren’t you glad that He is always faithful and that His love is unfailing? I know I am! He is kind and gracious and compassionate and forgiving. Not only are His mercies new every morning, those same mercies endure forever (Psalm 107:1)!
In fact, the Bible tells us that the Lord delights in showing mercy and unfailing love (Micah 7:18). Click here to find out how mercy is God’s “specialty.” When we hope in His mercy and love it thrills Him (Psalm 147:11)!
So, if you’ve messed up and are in desperate need of a do-over, then just receive the beautiful mercy and compassion of our wonderful Lord! We never have to wait for the morning for it to be renewed, because it’s always morning somewhere in the world!
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by Alisha | Jul 30, 2012 | Uncategorized
As mothers, there are numerous occasions when one of our children may fall down and hurt themselves. Or perhaps they get their feelings hurt by a sibling or someone else. Or maybe they are afraid of something. At those times, there is only one place that will bring comfort and peace to that little one – our arms.
We naturally scoop them up into our lap, wrap them in our arms, and begin to reassure them. We may gently rock them, kiss them, sing to them, quiet them. We give them our time and attention. We give them our love. We tell them it’s going to be all right.
Our loving embrace brings comfort, peace, and consolation like nothing else can. And usually, after just a few moments, that little one calms down and jumps out of our lap to run and play and be all joyful once again!
Have you ever been hurt or afraid, and wished that you were a small child again so that you could be held, comforted, and reassured that everything – the circumstances or situations you are facing – will be all right?
If so, then I’ve got wonderful news for you!
Zephaniah 3:17 (NIV) says, The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.
And, Psalm 68:19 (NLT) tells us that …each day He carries us in His arms.
I love the picture this gives us of our heavenly Father! This is just like what we as mothers do for our children. We “quiet them with our love.” We sing to them to comfort and console them. But our Father can do this so much better!
Zephaniah tells us that He takes great delight in us! He loves us like no other can. Our problems, our hurts, our fears all matter to Him. He wants us to come running to Him. And He will scoop us into His lap, wrap us in His arms, sing songs to us, and quiet us with His love!
As much as we love our children, desire the best for them, and would do anything for them, God’s love for us is far greater!
The Lord Jesus said in Matthew 7:11 (AMP), If you then, evil as you are, know how to give good and advantageous gifts to your children, how much more will your Father Who is in heaven [perfect as He is] give good and advantageous things to those who keep on asking Him!
He loves us so much more than we could ever love our children. And because of Jesus, we can run to Him fearlessly and confidently any time we need Him (which is every moment of every day)!
Hebrews 4:16 (AMP) says, Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace…that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find grace to help in good time for every need [appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it].
Isn’t that wonderful? Aren’t you glad you can come into His presence – His throne of grace – without fear or condemnation, and receive His grace to help, “appropriate and well-timed help…just when you need it?”
He is so good and so faithful!
I don’t believe we can even begin to fathom God’s great love for us, but we can rest assured in the following truths about Him:
- He has a great and wonderful and intense love for us! (Eph. 2:4 AMP)
- He delights in every detail of our lives. (Ps. 37:23 NLT)
- He cares for us affectionately and cares about us watchfully. (1 Pet. 5:7 AMP)
- His goodness and unfailing love pursues us all the days of our lives. (Ps. 23:6 NLT)
Whatever you are going through today, whatever hurt or fear you may be experiencing, whatever the situation or circumstance, run to your heavenly Father. Allow Him to scoop you up and wrap you in His loving arms. Receive His love, His comfort, and His encouragement. Listen as He rejoices over you with singing. Let Him quiet you with His love.
He will make everything all right.
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by Alisha | Jul 16, 2012 | Uncategorized
What a wonderful, loving Father the Lord is to His children! He loves us with a love so strong that we cannot even begin to fathom it!
And yet, there are so many people that avoid His presence because they believe that He is angry with them. Somewhere along the way, they have messed up, tripped up, or flat out failed the Lord, and they can’t bring themselves to come before Him because they think He wants to punish them for their actions.
Have you ever felt this way? Have you ever messed up over and over or struggled with that same old sin, then felt as if you couldn’t come before the Lord?
Well I have some great news for you! The Lord is not angry with you and He wants you to come to Him so that He can show you His great love!
Micah 7:18 (AMP) says, Who is a God like You, Who forgives iniquity and passes over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He retains not His anger forever, because He delights in mercy and loving-kindness.
The Lord delights in mercy and love!
The New Living Translations says the Lord …delights in showing unfailing love. And the Living Bible says He …loves to be merciful.
But my favorite version of this verse is in the Message Bible:
Where is the god who can compare with You – wiping the slate clean of guilt, turning a blind eye and a deaf ear, to the past sins of Your purged and precious people? You don’t nurse Your anger and don’t stay angry for long, for mercy is Your specialty. That’s what You love most.
Mercy is God’s specialty. Showing mercy is what He loves most!
I don’t know about you, but knowing this truth thrills me! I find I’m always in need of His mercy, so I cling to this verse.
Mercy is so much more than just God’s forgiveness and forbearance toward us. According to Vine’s Expository Dictionary, two of the Hebrew words translated as “mercy” are chesed and rechem.
Chesed means: loving-kindness; steadfast love; grace; mercy; faithfulness; goodness; devotion. And rechem means: bowels; womb; mercy. Rechem gives the picture “of ‘tender love,’ such as a mother has for the child she has born,” (Vine’s).
I love that!
The Lord God Almighty and Creator of the Universe has a tender love for you – in the same way a mother tenderly loves the child of her womb! Yet His love for us far exceeds any human love!
His steadfast, unfailing love includes tenderness, mercy, grace, faithfulness, goodness, and devotion. He delights in showing these qualities to His children! He delights in showing His mercy and unfailing love to you!
So, I want to encourage you the next time you slip up, fall or fail, don’t withdraw from or avoid the Lord’s presence. Don’t run from Him – run to Him. He wants to take you in His arms, love on you, show you His tenderness, forgiveness and mercy.
Showing mercy and unfailing love is what God loves most. He delights in it. Mercy is His specialty!
