Mercy for Me, for You

It's been a long, long time since I've had anything to say. I don't really know how to explain it (quickly), except to say that things were busy before...and then they just got busier and busier. At least, that's my explanation for now. Because something else has my focus at this moment. Something else is weighing heavy on my heart.

I've just been thinking about how merciful my God is. Certainly, He is abundantly merciful to ME. But I was just thinking about certain holidays. Christmas and Easter. Mostly about Easter, at the moment. How the stores are FILLED with Easter dresses, baskets, candy, and bunnies. How everyone and their grandma is out on Saturday doing last minute shopping for white dress shoes and the like. (I'm not going to say how I know this...) And it just made me think. Huh...

ALL of these people surely don't know my Jesus.

And sometimes that just bothers me. That everyone's out celebrating a holiday that they don't really even KNOW anything about. Or at least, CARE anything about. In fact, in a matter of days these will be the very same people NOT believing God's Word to be true and NOT standing up for the lives of unborn babies and NOT being obedient to His Word and NOT knowing Jesus...really knowing Him.

I guess it can be just a little annoying...when the Easter holiday means so much to me, and to so many others. Christ's perfect life lived on earth, His horrific, sacrificial death on the cross, and His resurrection from the dead...

These things mean salvation, grace, love, mercy, compassion, rescue, redemption, hope, victory, and sweet, sweet assurance for me!  So. much.

But you know what it means to God???

GLORY!!!!!

GLORY!!

Glory.

The very REASON the world is busy filling baskets and dyeing eggs...is Jesus. HE is the reason. And this reminds me of how incredibly merciful my God truly is. He allows absolute pagans to celebrate His events. He lets them attend the Easter parades and show off the new clothes. And He loves them deeply whether they know it or not. Maybe a few of them will even make it to church on Sunday morning. Maybe. And though He deserves so much more--so much more of our praise and adoration--though He deserves our whole LIVES--He is glorified, nonetheless. That, in itself, is stunning.

I am just so humbly grateful to have been called to His side. To have been washed by His blood. HUMBLY grateful. Because I don't deserve anything but death. I am depraved and corrupt, wicked and disgusting. And yet, in God's eyes I am clean. Now and forevermore.

Thank you, Jesus, for the cross! 

Today is about Him, for Him, by Him, in honor of Him, to Him, of Him. Because...

He took ALL my blame. And all of yours. And all the blame of the whole, entire world from before to beyond. And He did it because of love and mercy for us. And we did NOT deserve that.

Lord, let me never, never

outlive my love for thee...

He lived as one of us on earth, only doing it perfectly, without sin. He willingly died a gruesome, mocking death. And then...oh, then...he conquered death itself. He proved He was wholly God by rising from the grave. That's MY God!! How can I NOT want to live my life for His honor and glory?

He's alive!! He's alive! Heaven's gates are open wide!

Yes.

Glory!