Mercy, Grace & Peace

One early Saturday morning I was going to help my daughter with a garage sale at her condo.  I told her I would go pick up coffee and some breakfast for us to enjoy before the sale started.  After picking up our food and drinks I began making my way to her place.  My mind was wandering and I was busy trying to balance the coffee and cokes that were more than my drink holders could handle.  The next thing I knew, a car was behind me with blue lights blazing.  I pulled over and the deputy said, “ You just blew through that stop sign right in front of me.”  She was right.  (Well, I don’t think I blew through as I wasn’t going that fast.)  The stop sign there was fairly new and it was foggy and my mind was wandering and I was guilty as charged. 

I was so nervous as I gathered the documentation that she asked for and I sat in my car as she went back to her car and checked out my record.  Those were awful minutes where I  was beating myself up for making such a stupid mistake that was going to cost me greatly.

She walked back to my window and told me that she was going to write me a warning ticket.  I ran that stop sign right in front of her and I was guilty as charged and she was not going make me pay for my offense. 

That is a good picture of God’s grace, which is undeserved favor, His mercy that is His loving forgiveness of our sins and peace, which is the security and well being He brings into our lives.

Everyday I experience God’s grace.  He is so good to me even when I am not obedient or not as faithful as I should be.  He provides more that I deserve everyday. I did not deserve the price He paid on Calvary for my sins, but He paid it anyway.  His mercy paid the price for my sins, not His.  There is a great peace that comes with God’s mercy and grace. 

How could I ever pay the penalty for the sin in my life?  What price would be great enough?  God knew that I would be a sinner and provided the mercy and grace to cover my sins.  Are you suffering through life without the mercy and grace that is so freely available to you? I would have been foolish to not accept the grace shown to me by the deputy.  Lift up holy hands today and accept the gift of grace God so lovingly offers to you.

Romans 5: 8

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

1 Timothy 1: 2

“To Timothy, my true son in the faith: Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.”