Walking in Grace & Mercy Out of Stuff, Struggles, & SinChikamu

Walking in Grace & Mercy Out of Struggles, Stuff, & Sin

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16

Honest and truly. It seemed to work – a tiny bit, but not enough.

When my kids were little and summer days were long and hot, I would plunk myself down in a battered lawn chair and soak up the sun. My three kiddos would play in the backyard while I let the warm rays of sunshine wash over me – a pastime that southern Californians are known for. Except for when I had to bark out referee calls to stop the every five-minute disputes of my young ones, lounging in the backyard was a welcome summer activity. That is until the air grew too warm, and I felt the need to dip into some refreshingly cool water.

Nevertheless, there was a problem. The restorative waters calling me were not a lovely, built-in swimming pool replete with a diving board, slide, or a waterfall feature. Instead, refreshment came in the form of a plastic, blue children’s basin about a yard in diameter. Still, I scrunched myself into a ball, and a few inches of water encircled me. It was awkward, not enough to refresh, and rejuvenation from the heat was short-lived.

Like many of us, I have lived most of my life thinking God’s grace and mercy were similar to that tiny, blue plastic pool. They are there. They are available. But they barely cover or bring lasting refreshment or transformation for broken hearts and lives or those of us in the midst of struggles, stuff, and sin. For some of us, grace can be that foggy word in Christendom that sounds lovely, but it’s not enough to actually do something. And mercy seems to only apply to us when we have already taken a deep dive into sin and stuff and not as an aid to keep us from the deep dive in the first place.

God’s grace and mercy are the beautiful twin sisters of the Bible. Their impact on our lives is immeasurable. Let’s take the next few days to open God’s Word and see the dynamic power that His grace and mercy supply to us each and every day, specifically when we are in the midst of trial, temptation, or feeling less-than.

What are your thoughts from today’s lesson, or the verses provided?