Tuesday, January 5, 2016

New Beginnings

Papa, what am I gonna say. Broken lives, broken promises, a prideful heart, foolish mistakes. Mercy. Forgiveness. Redemption. You may think that I put those words in a specific order, I didn't. You may think that I ponder things and work out answers and thoughts ever so carefully, I don't. Usually, I feel like I just slop things on a page, whatever happens to be at the forefront of my mind, in the top of my heart at the moment. Often I wish that I would ask God what He wants me to say before I write but I most often forget, just like now, I foolishly think of me and say, What am I gonna say? Therefore, let us begin again, with God first. Abba, what shall we talk about and think on today?
"The LORD's mercies...are new every morning: great is Thy faithfulness." - Lamentations 3:22-23
"For we do not present our supplications before Thee for our righteousness, but for Thy great mercies." - Daniel 9:18b
"So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runeth, but of GOD that showeth mercy." - Romans 9:16
"He is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with Him are called, and chosen, and faithful." - Revelation 17:14b
Every morning my Father extends renewed mercy to me. I can will, and I can run, and I can fail BUT
"When I said, My foot slippeth; Thy mercy, O LORD, held me up." - Psalm 94:18
I am so thankful that with God there is always forgiveness, comfort, mercy, and help. Repentance is a wonderful thing, and new beginnings.
"In the multitude of my thoughts within me Thy comforts delight my soul." - Psalm 94:19
As this new year began the first thing God started talking to me about was His mercy. I was asking Him to help me grow mature in love (1 John 4:18) this year and to begin the process the things that are hindrances must go....I always seem to forget that that's the first step. Pruning is painful, but the joy, the freedom, the fresh start that it brings makes it so very worth the pain.
"My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of His correction: For whom the LORD loveth He correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth." - Proverbs 3:11-12
What a blessing to know that even as my Father is correcting me, I am a delight to Him. I can't quite wrap my mind around that, but it is a comfort that delights my soul!