a little mercy, anyone?

I love the Lord so much...and I love His gentleness.  I have been doing my 'Bible in a year' reading over the summer, and it's made me fall even more in love with His word.  I know that not every part of what I read is going to be applicable to my daily life (like now, I'm in 2nd Chronicles...and that's exactly what it is...chronicles of who was king and when), but it's so rich with meaning and wisdom.

God uses it many times everyday in my life.  For example, last week we were pulling into the driveway when Drew asked me to let him out.  He had learned to jump on top of this box thing we have in our yard without using his hands and he wanted to show Graham.  Anyway, I let him out and then we sat there so we could watch him.  He got out of the car without shoes and asked if Jonah would throw him his crocs.  So Jonah did...and inside one of those shoes was his ipod touch, and needless to say, it went flying.  And the screen shattered. 

I won't lie...my first reaction was to glare at Jonah...as if to ask, "How could you throw that without looking first???"  Like he would have known that there was in ipod inside of Drew's shoes.  Then I got mad at Drew...because really, who puts their ipod inside of a shoe??? 

Well...a kid that might forget it inside the car, that's who.  And as for Jonah, well, why in the world would he have known to check Drew's shoe first?

What I'm getting to is this: I didn't respond very graciously when this little incident occurred.  I was quite upset with both kids.  But as I looked into Jonah's eyes, I thought of the words "mercy" and "grace".  And how sweetly Jesus responds to us when we sin against Him.  I immediately apologized to both boys.  Jonah was okay after that, but Drew was not.  He really thought he was in trouble, and he was mad at himself because he's been so careful with this gadget since the day he got it.  I spent the next ten minutes consoling him and assuring him that he was NOT in trouble and that Daddy could and would willingly fix his screen.  (He's done it several times with Graham's...but that's a long story.) 

Accidents happen.  Do I always react to them in a nice way?  Of course not.  But His word gently (and sometimes NOT so gently) guides me along the path of my day to day life.  His word says to ask for wisdom and He will give it to us generously without fault (James 1:5 NIV).  I am proof of this verse.  We just have to ask...and it's ours. 

I love His word.  It reminds me how simple of a thing faith is.  We are to have a simple, child-like faith.  What "child-like faith" means to me is knowing without a doubt that something is true...or that something will happen.  (i.e. My kids know that dinner will be served every single night.  It might not be their favorite meal, but it will be something that I know they will like and they know that they will eat a good meal before bedtime.) 

It's never questioned, never doubted...it's just there. 

I am convinced that this is the kind of faith we are supposed to have.  This can sometimes come across as naive.  Trust me...I've been accused of it.  But I'm not at all...I just choose to trust in and have faith in my sweet Savior.  Because that is exactly what He is...our Savior. 

Psalm 23:6 says, "Surely or only goodness, mercy, and unfailing love shall follow me all the days of my life, and through the length of my days the house of the Lord [and His presence] shall be my dwelling place." (Amplified Bible)

All we have to do is ask...then believe...then receive.  And it's ours.  Try it if you don't believe me.  You just might be blessed. 

Love to all.