With His Mercy

If you have ever driven past a hidden officer who became visible to you at the last minute, I guarantee that you looked down at your speedometer to see how fast you were going. If you then looked in your rear-view mirror while driving and seen those flashing red and blue lights coming behind you, I can guarantee that you hoped they were coming for someone else and not you. If you then discovered that they were indeed pulling you over, I can guarantee that another thought crossed your mind: "Please God, let this be just a warning". We don't want the warning because we want to be warned; most of the time, we probably couldn't care less about it. We want the warning because we don't want the alternative! At every step of that process, we are hoping, even praying, for mercy. When it comes to sin, all of us are guilty. The evidence against us is clear and convincing and our only hope of avoiding the consequences is to be granted mercy by the Supreme Judge. Fortunately, mercy is something the Bible says God is "rich in". This week at Friendship, we'll talk about becoming fortified with God's mercy, which means not getting the punishment we all deserve. God not only grants mercy, but also grants grace, which is receiving gifts we don't deserve. They are two sides of the same coin, the currency of God's riches. No matter who you are, where you're from, or what you've done, God's mercy is available to you through Jesus Christ.