God's Mercy

How wonderful is God's grace and mercy? Especially when we mess up. I am reminded today that no matter what I do, I am still loved by God. This obviously does not give me liberty or the right to do whatever I want, but it does give me encouragement after I have sinned to know that my God loves me and forgives me when I fail.

I think many times we take forgranted the love of God. When we are saved we are justified, and we tend to forget that thats an act of God. He could have chosen not to forgive us. This reminds me of a sermon by Jonathan Edwards, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God"...

"There is no want of power in God to cast wicked men into hell at any moment. Men's hands cannot be strong when God rises up. The strongest have no power to resist him, nor can any deliver out of his hands.-He is not only able to cast wicked men into hell, but he can most easily do it. "

"They deserve to be cast into hell; so that divine justice never stands in the way, it makes no objection against God's using his power at any moment to destroy them. Yea, on the contrary, justice calls aloud for an infinite punishment of their sins. Divine justice says of the tree that brings forth such grapes of Sodom, "Cut it down, why cumbereth it the ground?" Luke xiii. 7. The sword of divine justice is every moment brandished over their heads, and it is nothing but the hand of arbitrary mercy, and God's mere will, that holds it back."

"They are now the objects of that very same anger and wrath of God, that is expressed in the torments of hell. And the reason why they do not go down to hell at each moment, is not because God, in whose power they are, is not then very angry with them; as he is with many miserable creatures now tormented in
hell, who there feel and bear the fierceness of his wrath. Yea, God is a great deal more angry with great numbers that are now on earth: yea, doubtless, with many that are now in this congregation, who it may be are at ease, than he is with many of those who are now in the flames of hell. So that it is not because
God is unmindful of their wickedness, and does not resent it, that he does not let loose his hand and cut them off. God is not altogether such an one as themselves, though they may imagine him to be so. The wrath of God burns against them, their damnation does not slumber; the pit is prepared, the fire is made ready, the furnace is now hot, ready to receive them; the flames do now rage and glow. The glittering sword is whet, and held over them, and the pit hath opened its mouth under them."

The God that holds you over the pit of hell, much as one holds a spider, or some loathsome insect over the fire, abhors you, and is dreadfully provoked: his wrath towards you burns like fire; he looks upon you as worthy of nothing else, but to be cast into the fire; he is of purer eyes than to bear to have you in his sight; you are ten thousand times more abominable in his eyes, than the most hateful venomous serpent is in ours. You have offended him infinitely more than ever a stubborn rebel did his prince; and yet it is nothing but his hand that holds you from falling into the fire every moment.

We are so lucky that we as Christians have God's favor. Thank you Lord for the salvation that you have given us. I pray that we would remember the sacrifice you made and we would remember that you could have chosen to reveal your full wrath to us by sending us straight to hell. Thank you for a provision to save us from that. Thank you that we can enjoy you and strive to bring glory and honor to your name forever and ever. I thank you for saving me from the pits of hell. Thank you Jesus, and its in your wonderful, HOLY, precious name that I pray.
Amen.