Mercy ... (Psalm 32:10-11)

Today's scripture: Psalm 32:10-11

I know I've written about this before, but I love the word "mercy." You may have heard that grace is not getting what we do deserve. Mercy is getting what we don't deserve.

And frankly, we don't deserve anything. Absolutely nothing.

I guess I can speak only for myself, but I know I don't deserve mercy from God. I took His gift of salvation and threw it back in His face. I spent twenty years living how I wanted, making my own decisions, shutting Him out.

Then, when I hit the proverbial "rock bottom," I reached for Him, confessing the years I'd broken His heart. At that moment, I deserved condemnation. I deserved His turning His back on me just as I had turned mine on Him.

But because He is a God of mercy, I received what I didn't deserve: open arms; forgiveness; blessings; and unconditional love. God, the God of the universe, Creator of all things, Almighty, Omniscient, Omnipresent ... He loves me so much. He loves me so much He gave His own Son for me. Even though He knew how I'd sin, He still offered grace.

Mercy. I deserve to be separated eternally from Holy God. What I don't deserve is the blessing of being able to crawl on His lap and call Him, "Abba. Daddy."

Mercy. Getting what I don't deserve ... How I love mercy.