In Luke 19:1-10 we meet Zacchaeus, a rich tax collector from Jericho. Jesus was passing through Jericho and when Zacchaeus heard about it he wanted to see Him. Unfortunately, he was short. He decided to climb a tree in hopes of seeing Jesus as He passed by. When Jesus reached the tree, He looked up, saw him and instructed him to come down because He was going to visit his home. However, those who heard what Jesus planned to do complained that He was going to be a guest at the home of a sinner. Zacchaeus on the other hand, was so overjoyed that he hurried down  from the tree and told the Lord that he would give half of his goods to the poor and if he had taken anything wrongfully from anyone, he would restore it fourfold. Jesus in turn declared: “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” (vv.9-10)
    I found this story of salvation interesting for a few reasons. One, Zacchaeus’ tiny stature. He was short but he so desired to get a view of Jesus as He passed by that he decided to climb a tree. I love his determination. He didn’t let his small size stop him from getting a view of Jesus. How determined are we at times to connect with God? Do we make excuses or do we make an effort? We may feel the prompting of the Holy Spirit to stop what we’re doing and spend time with Him. At that point, do we submit to His leading or do we continue doing what we are doing thus deeming it more important than time with our Father? It can be so easy to make excuses. God will never interrupt us if it were not important and sometimes I think He just wants to spend some time with us. 
    Two, Jesus took notice of Zacchaeus. There may have been other people in trees and walls trying to get a glimpse of Jesus as He passed by. The Bible does not say. But Zacchaeus was in a tree and Jesus could have walked right past him, after all, there were so many other people around for Him to notice. But that’s the God we serve. He sees us. Even when others don’t see us or even care what’s going on in our lives, God chooses to take notice. I like to think that God is intentional. He intentionally chooses to take notice of us and to care about what concerns us. He doesn’t ignore us or pretend that we are not there. Others might. But God sees and chooses to pay attention.
    Three, Zacchaeus was not the most popular person in that town. He was a tax collector, the chief one at that. He had unfortunately wronged so many people and this deemed him unpopular, someone that no one wanted to be around because they could not trust him. His track record was not good. But Jesus chose not to focus on his flaws like everyone else. He saw the man and He saw his need. He chose to reach out to him when no one else would. By just inviting Himself to his house, He was able to bring about the necessary change in Zacchaeus’ life. Zacchaeus wanted and needed love just like everyone else and Jesus did not hold back, He freely gave it. Jesus sees you in a way that no one else does. He does not focus on your flaws but on you, the person, and He desires to meet your need. He loves you in a way that no one else can or may be even willing to. 
    Four, Jesus publicly acknowledged Zacchaeus. While people saw him as an outcast because of his profession, Zacchaeus’ desire to make things right, caused Jesus to publicly reverse his outcast status. Jesus reminded the crowd that Zacchaeus was a son of Abraham who had simply lost his way because of greed. He was as deserving of mercy and salvation like everyone else. 
    God is not blind to your faults and flaws. He knows them but chooses to offer the gift of salvation. God knows what you deserve, but He chooses to offer what you need - salvation. Jesus chose to pay the price for our sins so that we would not have to. It wasn’t because we deserve it - because we don’t - but because of God’s immeasurable love for us. Let’s not take His salvation for granted. If He is willing to give it, let’s be willing to receive it.
    If you have not accepted Jesus Christ into your life as your personal Lord and Saviour, I encourage you to do so today. God’s gift of salvation is not dependent on your worthiness but on His love for you. God desires the best for you in spite of your flaws and shortcomings. God loves you. Period. And there is nothing you can do to change that.
​

    Robyn was on the way to the hospital in an ambulance fighting for her life. Doctors realised that she had several blood clots in her lungs and a large one in her heart. On the way to the hospital her husband, Phillip, a former pastor, prayed but felt as if God was not listening to him. Whatever he prayed for, the opposite seemed to happen. At the hospital, doctors got themselves ready to remove the clot in her heart. Unfortunately, by the time she got to the hospital, it had moved to her lungs. When her husband got to the hospital, she told him what had happened. The next thing he knew, she was going into cardiac arrest. The medical team made desperate efforts to remove the clot. 
    While waiting, Phillip prayed. He couldn’t picture his life without his wife. He asked God to show him if there was anything in his heart that he needed to get out of the way. The Holy Spirit asked him if he would give up on Him if He chose not to bring her back. He admitted it would not be easy but he promised Him that he would do his best to keep pressing on, that he would not give up on Him. He would keep standing, he would keep testifying, he would keep preaching. After he said that, he experienced a strange calm. 
    During this time, Robyn had coded and had been without a heartbeat for fifteen minutes. She found herself standing in front of Jesus. She felt awe, joy, peace. It was so bright she could not see His face. Jesus turned towards a particular dark place and He said, “Okay Satan show me what you think you’re going to do.” He went on further to say, “I Am is going to show you what I Am is going to do.” And Jesus breathed a breath and that breath went into Robyn and filled her lungs. Her body raised on the table at the hospital and they knew she was back. 
    Her heart and lungs began functioning again. The doctor expressed concern about possible damage to her brain. However, Robyn made a complete recovery and went home a week later.  
​    A few things caught my attention with this testimony. Phillip was crying out to God. He did not think he could go on without his wife. Yet, when Jesus asked him if he would give up on Him if He decided not to bring his wife back, Phillip affirmed that he would not give up on his God. After declaring that, he felt a strange peace. 
    For the past month I have been talking about God being a God of peace. It is interesting that when we fully surrender that fearful situation to Him, when we even surrender our desire for the outcome to Him, He gives us a peace that makes no sense. The problem may not have changed but we do in the midst of the trial. It’s about trusting God even though the outcome might not be what we would like. 
    While writing this post, after hearing Phillip’s response to God, I told God honestly, “Where would I go?” It was a legitimate rhetorical question  because if God is with me in the storm and giving me the strength I need to go through it, if things don’t work out the way I would like, why turn anywhere else? Who else could I turn to who would give me the peace and strength He provides. Who else would be able to sustain me like He does? Who else would help me both survive and thrive in the midst of a negative situation. For me, I agree with Phillip. I would keep serving God because nothing else would make sense. 
    When Job lost everything, even the support of family and friends, he worshipped God, he did not turn his back on Him. When David went through trial after trial, he never gave up on his God. When God told Abraham to sacrifice his only promised son, he chose obedience to God, thus choosing God over trying to keep his son alive. At the end of the day, our peace comes from knowing that our God is with us in both the good times and bad. He will never fail us, He will never abandon us, He is always there no matter what we may face. Giving up on God is not an option. The peace we so desperately need is all wrapped up in Him!
    If you have not accepted Jesus Christ into your life as your personal Lord and Saviour, I encourage you to do so today. The reality is we need God like we need air to breathe. Turning our back on Him is not an option. He is our everything and we are nothing and can do nothing without Him!

    In Mark 5:1-20, Jesus has gone to the region of the Gadarenes. There he meets a man possessed with a legion of evil spirits. This man had been living in the cemetery and attempts to bind and contain him with chains and irons had proved impossible. He was always able to break out of them. As if that wasn’t enough he would cry out and cut himself with stones. 
    What man could not do, Jesus was able to do. He commanded the evil spirits to come out of him and to go into a herd of pigs feeding nearby. When they entered the pigs, the entire herd ran down the hillside into the lake and drowned. When the people of the town heard about it, they came and saw the man clothed and in his right mind. When they found out what had happened, they asked Jesus to leave their area.
    In this short account, we meet a man who had been tormented for some time. We are not told for how long. His situation seemed hopeless because no matter what people tried to do to contain him, their efforts were futile. His torment was obvious because he would cry out and cut himself with stones. It seemed as if his torment would never end. Sometimes, we too may feel like that as we go through our own challenges. We may even find ourselves asking God, “How long?” as we look in vain for some light at the end of the tunnel. 
    What I like about this story is the fact that when Jesus came to that area, no one had told him about this demon-possessed man. He saw him for Himself and understood the torment he was going through. He commanded the evil spirits to come out of him even though the man had not asked for help. I always like to say that God sees, God knows and He cares. We may not always be able to articulate our cry for help but I believe that God sees and hears our tears and our moans and groans. He knows when we are in trouble and He is right there to help even though we may not clearly ask for it. 
    It’s also interesting that Jesus was not intimidated or turned off by the man’s condition. Jesus chose to go to Him. Though many had tried and had given up, the God of the universe was not about to do the same. I love the fact that God loves us enough that He doesn’t give up on us even when others have done so. There is nothing that we can do, there is no state that we can be in, that will stop God from coming to our rescue. God will meet us right where we are, we don’t even have to clean ourselves up first. Others may see us as unreachable, as hopeless, but God see us as worth the effort. And, what man cannot do, God is quite able to accomplish. That’s why we can call Him the God of the impossible!
    Finally, and thankfully, after a season of torment, the man is set free. I say thankfully because if  Jesus did it for him, He will certainly do it for us. It’s encouraging to note that negative seasons do not last forever. Even though to that man and to those around him, it seemed as if he would remain in that state forever, he did not. When Jesus came onto the scene, things changed. The deliverance that seemed impossible became possible. What seemed like it would last an eternity, did not. Your negative season will not last forever. When Jesus is in the picture, even the impossible will become possible. 
        What I also like is the man’s sense of peace which was evident to all. Without Christ, his life was one of torment. But, from the time Jesus stepped onto the scene and reached out to him, transformation took place, and he experienced peace. Our challenges are designed to frustrate, discourage, torment us. But when we let Jesus take charge, He gives us a peace that makes no sense. Even when the challenge has not been resolved, we can be at peace knowing that the Waymaker will make a way for us through our challenge to enable us to overcome it. God will never fail us!
    If you have not accepted Jesus Christ into your life as your personal Lord and Saviour, I encourage you to do so today. There is no challenge or trial that is bigger than our God. He sees, He knows and He is able to deliver. When we put our trust in Him, He will not disappoint us.

    As I once again attempt to write on the idea of peace, I admit that it has not been easy finding stories or passages of scripture I have not already written about in the past. Case in point, I have written a few posts on Psalm 23 and felt there was no need to use this Psalm to illustrate the idea of peace again. But, when it comes to God’s Word, I am learning that there is so much you can learn from even one story, one verse or portion of scripture. 
    In Psalm 23 we see a descriptive picture of a shepherd taking care of his sheep. The Psalm begins with the words, “ The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want” (v.1). That very first verse encapsulates and covers what comes in the following verses - because the Lord is my shepherd, my keeper, my support, I will have need of nothing. I used to think that that need mainly referred to physical needs but I have come to realise it does not. Whether I have material, emotional, mental, physical needs, my Shepherd covers them all.
     Here’s the thing, when you think of a shepherd and his sheep, you think of creatures that are heavily dependent on their keeper. They are aware that they cannot take proper care of themselves. At times they may not even be aware of what they need but that’s where the shepherd comes in - He knows their every need and does His best to supply it. It’s the same with us. In our case, we would love to think that we know everything and can take care of ourselves. But the reality is, we don’t know everything and sometimes we make choices and decisions that cause us more harm than good. 
    Verse 2 says: “He makes me to lie down in green pastures.” Clearly, it’s not the sheep who makes the choice to lie down but the shepherd. Similarly with us, God knows when we need to rest and rejuvenate. We ourselves may not know it, but God certainly knows how to help us get the rest we need when we need it. I recall here the story of Jesus and His disciples. He had sent them out two by two to do ministry in various places (Mark 6:7-13). When they returned, He encouraged them to go to a quiet place to rest (v.30-32). Jesus was pleased with their efforts but He knew and understood the importance of rest.
    It is interesting to note however, that sheep will not easily lie down unless certain needs are met. If they are afraid, hungry, bothered by flies or parasites, or facing conflict among themselves, rest is virtually impossible. The shepherd has to first ensure that all these needs are addressed to enable the sheep to get the rest it needs. It’s the same with us actually. I know for me personally, rest can be difficult to attain if I am dealing with fear, conflict or some other distress. I can go to sleep but get up feeling quite tired because my mind is dealing with fear and stress. Yet, I have also learned that when I literally give it God, rest is not so difficult to achieve. 
    So, how does all of this relate to the idea of peace? In pretty much every way! Remember last week I shared a few definitions of peace: freedom from disturbance, tranquility, mental or emotional calm. When we put our confidence in our God, He meets all our needs, frees our mind and spirit from distress and turmoil and ensures that we get the rest we need when and how we need it. Right there is where we can experience peace. It’s the peace where we know that we know that our Shepherd will take care of us, He will leave nothing out but ensure that in every area of our lives, our needs are met. We don’t like when trouble comes, yet, we don’t have to worry, when our Shepherd is right there, ready to tackle on our behalf whatever challenge comes our way. As I always like to say, He has our backs, He will not let us down.
    If you have not accepted Jesus Christ into your life as your personal Lord and Saviour, I encourage you to do so today. Our God is truly a Shepherd who sees our every need. He cares and He knows exactly how to help us find rest and peace when we need it. Be encouraged!​

    In Daniel chapter 6, we read the story of Daniel, a Jew who was in the service of the Babylonian king. He conducted himself with such a spirit and attitude of excellence that he found favour with the king who considered putting him in charge of the entire kingdom. The other governors and satraps were not pleased with this and looked for ways to bring charges against him. Unfortunately, they could find none because he truly displayed a spirit of excellence as he carried out his duties.
    They finally encouraged the king to enforce a law whereby anyone praying to any god or person, other than the king himself, within thirty days, would be thrown into the lions’ den. This they did knowing that Daniel prayed regularly to his God. When Daniel found out that the decree had been signed by the king, he went to his room and prayed to his God as was his custom. The men saw him and brought it to the king’s attention. The king in turn did everything in his power to deliver Daniel however, in the end, he had no choice  but to obey the decree he had signed. The next morning, when the king went to check on Daniel, he discovered that the lions had not touched him. Daniel’s God had delivered him. 
    This is a story of God’s miraculous deliverance. It gives us the facts about what happened. However, it does not clearly reveal Daniel’s feelings. What we read is that he heard about the decree and that the king had signed it and that he did exactly what he always did - he went to his room and prayed to his God three times that day. Daniel trusted in his God. He believed in his God. He knew that no matter what happened, his God was in charge and he was going to take care of him. 
    This tells me that Daniel felt peace about the situation. It was what it was, the law had been decreed. No matter what happened, he would still serve his God. I don’t know if fear was present, the account does not say. What it does say is that he went about his business as usual. In fact, when he heard the decree had been signed, he went home and prayed. He did not hesitate, he did not even try to do it in secret. He opened his window toward Jerusalem, as he usually did, and he prayed and gave God thanks.
    Daniel’s peace was because of his confidence and trust in his God. He knew what his God could do. After all, He had delivered his friends, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego when they were thrown into the fiery furnace because they refused to bow before any other god but their own (Daniel 3). And if God could deliver them, He could deliver him as well. 
    In recent times, I have been asking God to fix my eyes and my heart on Him so that no matter what comes my way, I am focused on Him. I may not be able to stop the negative things that will come my way, but I can choose to focus on the One who is able to take me through that situation. I think this is what Daniel did. He chose to keep his eyes fixed on his God. This gave him a sense of peace. No matter how things went, he would not worry, he would not try to compromise to save himself. It was what it was but he was who he was - a servant of the living God and God would take care of him in this situation. The king, on the other hand, was so distressed that he fasted and refused any entertainment, the entire night. The next morning he hurried to the lions’ den hoping to hear that Daniel’s God had delivered him. He was not disappointed and gave glory to Daniel’s God. 
    I pray the same for us, that we would so fix our eyes and heart on our God that no matter what comes our way, we can be at peace knowing that God will take care of us. No one likes when trouble comes, but when our lives are hidden in the God who is able to do all things, we can be at peace. It’s about being at peace in the midst of whatever stormy situation we are facing, because we know that we know that God will take care of us and He will work all things together for our good.
    If you have not accepted Jesus Christ into your life as your personal Lord and Saviour, I encourage you to do so today. God is that agent of peace that enables us to face every negative and fearful situation that comes our way. We can’t stop the negative from happening but when we fix our eyes on Him, He will strengthen us and give us a peace that makes no sense.​

    We are all familiar with the word “peace.” It denotes, freedom from disturbance; tranquility; mental or emotional calm. It seems we are constantly striving towards it but too many times we are not quite able to attain it. It’s a word that may offer hope but may in reality appear quite elusive at times.
     Jesus is described as the Prince of Peace, the One we can turn to when all hell seems to be breaking loose. Time and again, if we allow Him, He can prove to be that stable anchor we need to keep us steady when our world feels shaky and unstable. 
    As I began researching material to write on the whole idea of God being a God of peace, I came across a number of stories alluding to this whole idea of peace. Yet, somehow, they did not get my attention in the way I wanted. I also looked at portions of scripture on peace and a few things caught my attention but didn’t seem to quite grab it. Then Psalm 91 came to my attention. It doesn’t speak about peace per se, but about the confidence we can have in God’s protection. And that grabbed my attention. As I perused this very familiar psalm, I realised that pretty much every verse was reinforcing God’s covering and protection over our lives. But here’s the key - we have to abide in His presence. It is in His presence that we are covered and where we can ultimately find peace.
    It doesn’t speak about taking away or removing the problems, challenges or attacks that may come our way, but about God protecting us, shielding us from every attack that comes. And to me that’s where our peace comes from - knowing that no matter what comes our way, God has our back and He will not allow the enemy to prevail against us. 
    He that dwells in the secret place of the Most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in Him I will trust.” (Psalm 91:1-2) The opening lines of this psalm cover everything that comes after. It is because we are dwelling in God’s presence, that we are protected from all harm and evil. And it is because we are trusting in Him that we are safe. We are safe because we know that we know, He will take care of us. It’s that quiet confidence and faith that brings a peace that makes no sense, so that as the arrows and the darts come toward us, we know that God is near and the present help we need. 
    Interestingly, this does not necessarily mean the absence of fear in our lives. As we face what we face, fear may be present, but we can also be honest with God and say, “God I am afraid but I trust You.” In 2 Chronicles 20, when king Jehoshaphat and Judah were faced with a combined army coming against them, they were very afraid. Immediately, Jehoshaphat turned to his God. He was honest with Him when he said, “I don’t know what to do but my eyes are on you.” (v.12) He did not pretend they were not in danger and he did not pretend to not be afraid. He was very much afraid but he also knew exactly Who to turn to. He also acknowledged that he felt totally helpless but, he would trust in His God. When God promised to fight for them, Jehoshaphat was at peace knowing that God would fight and win on their behalf. And God did not disappoint!
    So be encouraged. When you choose to abide in God’s presence and trust in Him, you can and will have peace knowing that He has your back and He will take care of you. God will not let you down. He is the God of peace.
    If you have accepted Jesus Christ into your life as your personal Lord and Saviour, I encourage you to do so today. In a world filled with chaos, we all need to be find that peace that only God can give, a peace that makes no sense at times. God is our peace. He will not fail us.

    This theme of mercy has truly been an encouragement to me at various times. It has been a reminder to me that God has the final say, especially when circumstances and situations seem to dictate otherwise.
    I am reminded of the story of Mephibosheth in the Bible. He was the grandson of king Saul. After Saul’s disobedience to God in 1 Samuel 15, God rejects him as king over His people, Israel. Through the prophet Samuel, He tells him that He will give his kingdom to someone else, ideally rejecting not just him but his family line after him. 
    Years later, however, when David becomes the new king over Israel, David, who was a close friend of Jonathan, Saul’s son, chooses to show kindness to any member of Saul’s household that could be found (2 Samuel 9). Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s son is mentioned to the king. In his kindness, David restores all the land that had belonged to Saul. As if that is not enough, he declares that he would always eat at his table (v.7).
    This is a story of mercy. In his latter days, Saul had been unfairly unkind to David and had tried to take his life. David could have felt justified to, in turn, show unkindness to Saul’s surviving household. Instead he chose to be a blessing. However, there is another part to this story. Mephibosheth was lame in his feet. He was five years old when news of his father’s and grandfather’s death came. His nurse picked  him up and as she hurried to leave with him, he fell and became lame in his feet (2 Samuel 4:4). Mephibosheth sees himself as useless and not deserving of this great honour and blessing from the king: “What is your servant that you should notice a dead dog like me?” (2 Samuel 9:8) Yet, David is not moved by who his family is or his physical condition. He chooses to show kindness and mercy to someone who  is deemed undeserving. 
    It’s the same with us and God. At times, we may not feel deserving of God’s kindness and mercy toward us. We know that we have done wrong, we know that our life is not perfect, we know that circumstances may deem us unfit for goodness to come our way. Yet, God does not see the way man sees. He does not choose to love us or be kind to us because we are deserving. It that were the case, I think you would agree that our lives would be miserable. 
    I thank God that He is not a God who judges the way man judges; He does not view things the way man does. His ways and thoughts are and will thankfully always be higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9). God is good. God is merciful. Period. It is not because of who we are or what we have done, but because of who He is and because of His mercy and love toward us.
    When Jesus came to this earth to die for you and me, it wasn’t because we were deserving of His grace and mercy, because we weren’t. It was because God loves us and chose instead to make a way for us to escape the consequences we do deserve - eternal damnation. Mephibosheth never expected goodness to come his way, but it did. I think at times, we too, as God’s children, feel undeserving when goodness comes our way. Yet, Psalm 103:17 says: “But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear Him, and His righteousness unto children’s children.” 
    This is just a simple reminder that God loves you. Period. His mercies are new every morning and they are eternal. He will always want the best for you and will always choose to be good to you even when, at times, you don’t deserve it. God is good. God is love. God is the God of mercy.
    If you have not accepted Jesus Christ into your life as your personal Lord and Saviour, I encourage you to do so today. We all need a God who loves and cares about us, whether we feel deserving or not. God will never fail us, He will never abandon us, He will always be there when we need Him. Be encouraged.

    In the Old Testament, we read the story of king Hezekiah, considered one of Judah’s most righteous kings. When he became king at the age of twenty-five, he restored Temple worship (2
Chronicles 29: 20-36), reversed his father’s idolatrous practices (2 Kings 18:3-4), and restored the celebration of the Passover (2 Chronicles 30). When the Assyrians came against Judah, he trusted in his God and God miraculously delivered them (2 Chronicles 32:1-23).
    Yet, for all his righteous and admirable acts, there came a time when Hezekiah faced certain death. He became sick with a fatal illness. Through the prophet Isaiah, the Lord instructed him to set his house in order because he was going to die, he would not survive. Hezekiah, in his distress, turned his face to the wall and cried out to God. He asked God to remember how he had walked in integrity before Him and how he had done good in His sight and he wept bitterly.
    Before Isaiah had even left the middle court, the Lord sent a message to him for Hezekiah. He told him that He had heard his prayer and seen his tears and He would heal him. He would also add fifteen years to his life!
    As I thought again about writing on God’s mercy, this story came to my mind. What I love is the reality of God’s love for us. Hezekiah had done a lot for the Lord, that was true. But when the time came for him to die and at the hands of an incurable disease, it seemed to him and everyone that it was the end. Even the prophet Isaiah, came to him with death news from the Lord. Hezekiah could have given up. He could have accepted his fate and allowed it to be the final judgement on his life but he did not. He cried out to his God and God heard him and gave a favourable response. Certainly, he put his case before God, reminding Him of all the good he had done and of his faithfulness to Him. 
    God is not an unreasonable God. In Isaiah 1:18a, He says: “Come now, and let us reason together…” God actually invites us to plead our case before Him. He is not so harsh that He refuses to listen when we speak. He is willing to hear what we have to say. In the case of Hezekiah, He could not help but acknowledge all that Hezekiah had done for Him. He not only listened but gave a favourable response. Right here, I see God’s mercy. God did not have to listen to Hezekiah’s plea for his life. He could have simply said, “It’s over. It’s time. There is nothing you can do or say to change my mind.” Yet, He didn’t just listen, He chose to listen and He chose to be merciful and spare Hezekiah’s life and add more years to him. Hezekiah’s illness did not have the final say, God’s mercy did!
    I think there are times when God’s mercy overextends itself. We can all probably think of times like this; times when we did not deserve a second, third or even fourth chance, but God gave it. I have experienced God giving me chances when I did not even deserve it, and, can I say, I certainly appreciated it! I think sometimes His mercy doesn’t even make sense but God is not concerned about what makes sense to us. He knows what is best and if He chooses to be merciful, just like Jesus was to the thief on the cross (Luke 23:32-43), then there is nothing we can do about it. Lamentations 3:23 says: “His mercies are new every morning...” His mercies are not new every week, or every month or every year, but every morning! It’s almost as if God does not want us to rely on old mercies. He makes sure that He renews His mercy every single day!
    In what ways has God shown mercy to you? How thankful are you that it is His mercy and love that are sustaining and keeping you? You don’t have to give in to despair when you don’t always get it right or when the situation seems irreversible. God’s mercy will sustain you and He knows exactly how to turn things around in your favour. In fact, His mercy has the final say, not the challenge you are facing. Isn’t it an amazing thing to have this much help from God? You don’t have to do life on your own. He is always there and He will always help us when we need it. Be encouraged!
    If you have not accepted Jesus Christ into your life as your personal Lord and Saviour, I encourage you to do so today. In this life, we all need a merciful God on our side. Challenges, temptations and situations will come to throw us off and upset us. But, when we turn to God, He will listen, He understands and He will answer. 
​

    In Genesis Chapter Four, we read the story of Cain and Abel, sons of Adam and Eve. Cain worked the soil while Abel took care of the sheep. In the process of time, they both brought offerings to the Lord - Cain some of the fruits of the soil and Abel the fat of some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord was pleased with and accepted Abel’s offering but he did not accept Cain’s offering. Because of this, Cain became very angry and while he and Abel were in the field, he killed him.
    When God confronted him about the whereabouts of his brother, he denied knowing anything. But God told him that his brother’s blood had cried out to him from the ground. As a result, he would no longer be able to cultivate the ground and would be a fugitive and vagabond in the earth. Cain complained that his punishment was too great and feared that anyone finding him would kill him. God in turn put a mark on him so that anyone finding him would not kill him.
    I admit I felt excited to write about this story of Cain. Cain was deserving of every punishment that was coming his way. After all he had taken his brother’s life and that was certainly worthy of death. His life on earth would consequently be a very difficult one where he would find no peace or favour with man or even the earth itself. He lost his livelihood, he lost his sense of security, all because of responding to a fit of jealous rage. 
    Yet, what I find interesting is that he had a conversation with God about it. He complained about the severity of his punishment and feared for his very life when ironically he had taken the life of another. Yet, I love the fact that God chose to be merciful to him. He could have ignored his cry of complaint. He could have reminded him that this punishment was what he deserved. After all, he had not given Abel a chance to plead for his life. He had not chosen to lessen his wrath against his brother. He did what he did and apparently thought he would get away with it. Yet, in spite of these obvious realities, God in His mercy and compassion, chose to spare him death at the hands of another. Imagine that!
    God’s ways are truly past finding out. They make absolutely no sense to us at times but when God chooses to show compassion and mercy it means He is also choosing to look past our sin and love us anyway. I am reminded of the whole story of salvation. As I mentioned in my last post, God’s mercy is not dependent on our works or on how good we are. When we cry out to Him He will hear and He will be merciful. I believe that if Cain had not had his conversation with God, things would have been different for him. God literally offered his protection although he did not deserve it.
    Romans 10:13 says: “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” That’s a promise from God and when we cry out to him for mercy, He will not reject us. We may have to face some consequences for our actions, yes, but God’s mercy and compassion will also be evident in our lives. I liken the mark put on Cain by God to Jesus’ blood covering us. When we ask Jesus into our life to be our Lord and Saviour, His blood covers us. In turn, when God looks upon us, He does not see our sin but the blood of His Son on us. That blood covers and protects us from the punishment we deserve for the sin in our life. 
    All that this tells me is that God is more interested in saving us from the consequences of sin. He is more interested in sparing us the death penalty we deserve simply because He loves us. At the end of the day, no matter how deep we may have gone into sin, once we turn to God and ask Him for mercy, just like Cain turned to Him and complained about his punishment, God will hear and He will extend mercy to us. God is good. God is faithful. God is still the God of mercy!
    If you have not accepted Jesus Christ into your life as your personal Lord and Saviour, I encourage you to do so today. God has provided what we need to escape the consequences of sin. All we have to do is cry out to Him and He will hear and He will deliver. Be encouraged!

    The reality is we are living in a world where works can mean everything. We work hard to achieve and to feel accomplished. Many times we work hard for the approval of others, specifically some significant person or other in our lives. 
    What I love about God, is that He never asks or expect us to come to Him perfect. He knows we are not because, after all, He created us. In fact He created us so that we would need Him. So, although we may try so hard to win the approval of others to feel good about ourselves, we don’t have to strive to win God’s approval. We don’t have to strive for His love. We can come to Him just as we are and He will help us as needed. His mercy toward us is great and doesn’t require any “goodness” on our part to obtain it.
    Here, I think about the story of Jesus and the crucifixion (Luke 23:32-43). He is wrongfully accused and convicted and His sentence is death. He humbly accepts it knowing the ultimate and greater purpose behind it. But, while he hangs there on that cross, He is not alone. There are also two other men, criminals, who are crucified on either side of Him. One of them hurls insults at Him saying that if He is Messiah, He should save them and Himself. But there is the other criminal, the one who somehow is able to discern the reality of what is happening. He rebukes his fellow criminal. He asks him if he doesn’t fear God and asserts that they deserve their fate but Jesus does not because He has done nothing wrong (v.40-41). Then, turning to Jesus in humility, he asks Him to remember him when He comes into His kingdom (v.42). To this Jesus responds, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise” (v.43).
    I find myself smiling as I read Jesus’ response. He could easily have told that criminal that it was too late, He could not honour His request. He could easily have reminded him of his sin and his crime and told him that he should have done some more good to be able to have his request granted. In short, Jesus could have turned him away … but He did not. This criminal was the reason why Jesus came to this earth to die. And, while that criminal was still alive, even though he was a short time away from death, as far as Jesus was concerned, he still had a chance to receive eternal life. He did not need to have lived a good life filled with good deeds. He did not need to come down from his cross and do a few good works before he died. At that moment, when he felt convicted of his sin and chose to turn to Jesus, it was enough. Jesus knew what He had to do and He did it … He offered him eternal life.
    If works were the perequisite to eternal life, many who chose to turn to God on their deathbed would have been turned away by God. But the reality is, it’s not about our works or how good we are, it’s about God’s mercy. Ephesians 2:8-9 says: “For by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.” Mercy is defined as: compassion or forgiveness shown towards someone whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm. God’s choice to pardon us and give us another chance is His act of mercy towards us. 
    God is more than willing to pardon us when in fact what we deserve is punishment. Lamentations 3:22-23 says: “Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” I don’t know about you, but that is an encouragement to me. I am not serving a harsh, judgmental, God who is eagerly waiting to punish me at every opportunity. Rather, I am serving a God who does not run out of compassion and love for me, a God who consistently sees the opportunity to forgive me even though what I deserve is punishment. 
    So, I encourage you today, no matter what you have done or failed to do, don’t ever think of turning away from God. Rather, run to Him for He is more than willing to abundantly pardon.
    If you have not accepted Jesus Christ into your life as your personal Lord and Saviour, I encourage you to do so today. God is the God of mercy, more than willing to forgive you because He loves you and desires the very best for you. Be encouraged!