Mercy Covers All

"And I Thank Christ Jesus Our Lord Who Has Enabled Me, Because He Counted Me Faithful, Putting Me Into The Ministry, Although I Was Formally A Blasphemer, A Persecutor, And An Insolent Man; But I Obtained Mercy Because I Did It Ignorantly In Unbelief."

1 Timothy 12:13

Mercy is defined as "the act of sparing"...

The biblical meaning is "to be spared or rescued from judgement, harm, danger or trouble."

It is mentioned in the Bible (KJV) 262 times.

God is a merciful God, that much is apparent by the fact that you and I are still walking and breathing.

The more closer I get to Him and the more attention I pay to what He is doing in my life, I can than see His mercy each and everyday.

I can look back in my past and say quite frankly I shouldn't be around today to write about it, without His mercy, I should have been dead a long time ago.

Now I know He is the only reason I am still sitting here today...

He gave me a second and third, who am I kidding, a million chances to return to Him and do His will.

Maybe I am stubborn or maybe I am too strong-willed...

I do know I have had so many chances to get it right and I am only now taking the opportunity to do so.

I wonder if I had paid attention so long ago if I would have received His calling then?

For some reason, the more I think about it, the more I feel this isn't the first time I have felt I was called to become a Pastor, however my memory has some serious holes in it so I am unsure.

I thought about it yesterday and I could feel something on the outskirts of my mind, trying to remind me that this hasn't been the first time, however the more I tried to hold onto it, the further away it went.

Maybe something from long ago when I used to attend Church regularly?

Maybe a dream I had during my teenage years?

I don't know, I just know it has been there before at some point in my life and as usual I chose to ignore it.

I am really good about ignoring what I don't want to "see"...

I internalize everything and it affects me in more ways than I can count.

However I am slowly learning to not hold everything in...

Not just the bad but also the good as well.

The gifts He provided me with, I am only now tapping into them.

Empathy, compassion, kindness, grace, the ability to forgive on any level, strength, wisdom, courage etc...

All gifts bestowed within me that I am just now realizing...

Gifts He poured into me so that I may use them to lead people to Him.

The bad is coming out as well...

I am learning how to release harmful emotions instead of harboring them.

Hate, anger, deceitfulness, unforgiving etc...

In my opinion, these are much easier attributes to carry out, they seem to require almost no energy at times.

It is much easier to hate your enemy than to love him and if you know any different, please tell me your secret.

If someone wrongs you the first thought you have is to "get back" at that person, I am no better than you because I have the same thoughts at times...

At that point you need to sit down in a quiet place and refocus your mind, take your revengeful thoughts to Him and He will show you a better way.

Is it easy?

Not in the least...

It is one of the hardest lessons I have ever had to learn, however it is necessary for me as a human being, as a child of Him and in order to be a Pastor.

If I harbor all those wicked thoughts than I have no business writing about Him, I have no business going to school, no business preaching His word.

Because His mercy covered me, I now know who I am...

He spared me when no one else would...

His mercy rescued me from huge amounts of trouble and at times some seriously grave danger...

He doesn't judge me for my past, He forgives me for it...

No matter how many times someone told me I would never amount to anything, He knew I would...

He has some spectacular plans for me and without His mercy, I would have never been able to fulfill them.

MARVIN SAPP
He Saw The Best In Me
When Everyone Else Around
Could Only See The Worst In Me