Warren Wiersbe shares this true story in his book, Meet Yourself in the Psalms.
In a frontier town years ago a horse bolted and ran away with a wagon carrying a little boy. Seeing the child in danger, a young man risked his life to catch the horse and stop the wagon.
The child who was saved grew up to become a lawless man. One day he stood before a judge to be sentenced for a serious crime. The prisoner recognized the judge as the man who, years before, had saved his life, so he pled for mercy on the basis of that experience. But the words from the bench silenced his plea.
“Young man, then I was your savior. Today I am your judge, and I must sentence you to be hanged.”
One day Jesus Christ will say to rebellious sinners, “During that long day of grace, I was the Savior, and I would have forgiven you. But today I am your Judge. Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire!”
Originally shared by Doug Van Essen in “Leadership Journal”
The Apostle Paul declared (Titus 3:4-7), “But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.” The Apostle Peter proclaimed (2 Peter 3:9), “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
Mercy is God NOT giving us what we deserve. As sinners and rebels and outcasts, we deserved judgment and death and suffering. But because of His mercy, the Lord saved us. Some people are concerned about fairness. They want to make sure to receive their “fair share”. Don’t ask the Lord to give you what you deserve. You definitely do not want that! Everything we deserve is Bad, Bad, Bad! Judgment, suffering, pain and agony!
Thankfully, the Lord does Not give us what we deserve. That’s all because of His mercy. And by His grace, He gives us what we do Not deserve. That is everything Good, Good, Good! A new life, a new purpose, a new identity, a new family, a new home, a new destiny, a new destination and much more! I invite you to Receive His mercy, Live in His mercy, and Give others His mercy. Don’t just keep it to yourself. Pass it on to someone in need. Because what the Lord does To you, He wants to do Through you.
Today is the day to Receive God’s mercy, to Live it and to Give it. One day the Lord will cry, “Enough!” and the day of mercy and grace will be complete. Receive mercy, Live it and Give it while you can before it is too late!
This Sunday, October 3, we will continue our new series, “Freely Give!”, by considering the beautiful gift of Mercy. Please join us in-person in the building at 10:35am for worship. If you cannot join us in person, please join us online for the Live broadcast on either Facebook (Search: Honolulu AG) or our YouTube channel (Search: Honolulu Assembly of God). A link will be posted later to our website (honoluluag.org).
Interested in joining others for prayer? God’s Ohana Day, a ministry of The Prayer Center of the Pacific, is inviting people from all across Oahu to gather this Saturday from 9:00am to 12:30pm near the Kapiolani Bandstand. Bring your beach chair and get ready to call on heaven. The Lord invites us (Jeremiah 33:3), “Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.”
Fred To’omata has invited us to join him for a Canoe Day on Sand Island. Have fun in the sun (and water) paddling an outrigger canoe. Never done it before? It’s easy and fun to learn. Fred is an excellent teacher and you will be an expert paddler in no time. Date to be determined but it will be a Saturday later this month.
Aloha and Aloha ke Akua!
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