Why not. The end. Ha, just kidding.
I have been thinking of changing the name of this blog for a while. For several reasons, but the main one being I no longer live in Utah. The title just wasn't fitting. So why the new name? As I lay in bed one night thinking all that kept coming to me was Lamentations 3:22-23.
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The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end" (ESV).
The Lord's mercy is so wonderful. Every morning His mercies are new. They are so wonderful. And everyday I fail Him, but His mercy towards me is renewed daily. I am in awe of this. This verse has been one that I have held onto for years. I am so thankful for His mercies anew. As I continue to walk this life with Him, and as I continue to fail Him-He loves me regardless. I deserve nothing that He gives me, but He does it because He loves me. I continually fail Him in areas where I know better. And instead of ruminating in the guilt and shame of these failures, I hold on to this promise. So today is a new day, and today I can start fresh with the Lord's mercy. Yesterday and its failures are no more. Today is a new day. As I try to walk this walk in obedience to God and His Word, as I whine to God about other Christians who are not doing it the right way and so I why do I have to, as I sulk in my "woe is me" attitude..I must just keep walking. I know obedience is better than sacrifice. So I've had to sacrifice to walk in obedience. I wish it wasn't so. I so wish. There is always room for forgiveness and improvement, but when that is not desired, sacrifices must be made.
1 Samuel 15:22-23 (NIV) .."Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry."
There are a lot of verses in the Bible about obedience (see HERE) and I really do think when I show that I am willing to trust Him and His Word over my human emotions--I am showing Him that I love Him. Don't mistake this for some self righteous-religious attitude, or some sort of religious duty I must do to obtain entrance into heaven. No. My home in heaven is secure because of what Jesus did on the cross. But it is because of that costly payment of death on the cross that the least I can do is live in obedience to Him. And man, do I get this wrong so much of the time!!!! (but again--His mercy)
So that I don't make this sound like a piece of cake, this road of walking in obedience is a very lonely one. But I am prepared to continue walking it alone-with just me and Jesus. A lot of professing believers (or Christians) are okay with having a little Jesus, but living as they please. The more you grow with Jesus and see His goodness, the more you reflect on just how sinful you really are and what is deserving of all you've done, the more you read the Bible and think about His sacrifice--a war between flesh and spirit should be a constant battle. I have had three long years of this fight (and not just once, but two times over!) The battle has come to an end. I choose obedience to the Word, even though that has cost me something dear to my heart. But nothing I give up in this life as an act of obedience will ever compare to the life of Jesus that was given up for me.
In case you got lost in my long winded-ness and didn't get why the new blog name----mercy. God's mercy is a beautiful thing that I experience daily.
