Mercy

” That’s Where His Mercy Begins ” (Steve Green)

Let me tell you about mercy
It led me to this land of grace.
Once I was homeless,
Ashamed to show my face.
I deserved no gift or favor
After all that I had done.
You’ve all heard my story, I am the
prodigal son.

CHORUS
And he wasn’t surprised at where I had been;
He was waiting for me at the end of my sin.
And the heaven I found in the hell I was in,
That’s where his mercy, That’s where His mercy begins.

Let me share an invitation;
Come join me in this land of rest,
Where we trade our failures And
gain the Father’s best.
Let us turn to Him together,
Leaving all our fears behind. The
Father knows your story. Its mercy you’ll find.

CHORUS

I had run so far from him that all my hope was dying.
But when I finally turned for home, his mercy came and showed the way;
And he’s never surprised at where we have been, He is waiting for us at the end
of our sins, and the heaven we find from the hell we’ve been in, that’s where his mercy
that’s where his mercy begins. Oh, that’s where his mercy, that’s where His mercy begins.
Sweet mercy. Thank you, thank you for mercy, your sweet mercy. Sweet mercy.

As you know by now, there is a political crisis in Madagascar. Everybody is unsure what (the generic) tomorrow holds. More riots? More deaths? We silently hope that it won’t affect me directly. That somehow I, me and mine will be spared.

This song has two themes. Mercy, and sin. I think it is correct to say that without sin there cannot be mercy. For without sin we would be just and not in need of mercy. (No I am not saying, sin more so that the mercy can increase.)

All Christians are, to some extent, involved in sin. We all have sin in our lives. If I ever say that I am without sin, then I am either lying or dead. (And therefore in the presence of Christ.)

Being melancholic by nature I like to beat myself up about the sins in my life. My sin is SOOOOOOO bad that ……. (insert adequate penance here.)

This song just reminded me of GOd’s mercy that he shows to us even though we deserve condemnation.

And he wasn’t surprised at where I had been;
He was waiting for me at the end of my sin.
And the heaven I found in the hell I was in,
That’s where his mercy, That’s where His mercy begins.

Yes it is true, He is not surprised at where I had been or what I have done. But all along He was waiting for me to stop looking at my sin but that I would look at him, confess and return.

I am crucified with Christ, therefore I no longer live. Jesus Christ now lives in me. (Embrace the Cross, Steve Green)

Father, I have sinned, repeatedly and knowingly, often enjoying it immensely. And perhaps even counting on your mercy in the back of my mind. I am guilty. Forgive me. Forgive me. Heal me. And make me a witness and testimony to your great love that transcends our understanding, insight and wisdom. Help me Father for I am sure to fail on my own. This I ask of you in the Name above all names, in the Name of your Son, Jesus. Amen