Find Mercy and Grace In Him

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

(Hebrews 4:16)

There’s an old saying, “We receive mercy when we are not given a punishment that we deserve. We receive grace when we are given a blessing that we don’t deserve.” As a sinner, I deserve the punishment of hell, but by the mercy and grace of God, he forgives and forgets when I repent. I don’t have to worry if God will have mercy on me. I have confidence that when I humble myself and come to the Lord for forgiveness, I will receive his grace. There is no uncertainty in what God’s response will be.

God’s mercy and grace does not have a time limit or an expiration date. It doesn’t matter if my sins are a few minutes old, or committed years and years ago, he stands ready to forgive me. I was in my mid-forties when I turned my life over to Christ, so I had a lot of past sins to be forgiven. My daily life brings with it some sins that I ask forgiveness for as soon as I realize I’ve slipped. One thing I know for sure, there is no sin too small, or too large that God will not forgive me. When I need his forgiveness, I can approach him with confidence in his willingness to extend his mercy and grace.

I have need of his mercy and grace every single day of my life. I fail him all the time. As hard as I try, as much as I hate to slip into sinful behavior, I still do. If it wasn’t for the mercy of God, I would have no hope for what comes after this life. That’s where his grace comes in. I have no right to expect anything but an eternity in hell. Nevertheless, Jesus has paid for my sins and now I can confidently anticipate an eternity in heaven.

There will come a time, likely many times, when you need his mercy more than anything else. If you have already come to Christ in the past and have backslid into sin, you can find mercy and grace once again. Just bend those knees and ask for his forgiveness. If you have yet to give your life to Jesus, it’s not too late. If you seek his mercy with all your heart, you will find his grace at the cross. That’s where you will receive the blessings of salvation. It’s then you will go from fearing the afterlife and where you will end up, to a confident expectation and yearning for heaven.

Good morning Father, you make our lives so much better. Before our cleansing we were filthy, wicked sinners, whom you transformed into snow white righteous followers of Jesus Christ. Now we confidently come to you, knowing you will be faithful to answer our prayers that comply with your will for our lives. It’s at the foot of the cross where we’ll find your grace. We often find ourselves in some kind of trial or other need. Sometimes, our troubles are cause by some decisions we’ve made. Other times, calamity seems to find us. It’s when we’re in that place of despair, when we feel like we’re all alone, that’s where we’ll find Jesus, waiting for us to reach out to him. In those times when trouble is our own fault, you extend your loving grace. In the times when trouble finds us, your mercy comes to see us through. Thank you, Lord, for the confidence in the assurance of your love and faithfulness. Your promise of mercy and grace takes the burden from our hearts as we walk through life with you. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen!