Mercy and Grace to lead us into 2023!

Read:

2 John 1:3 (ESV): “Grace, mercy and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.”
2 Timothy 1:2 (NKJV): “To Timothy, my beloved son: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Ephesians 2:8 (ASV): “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.”

Act:

In God’s economy, everything starts and revolves around LOVE. In His great and wonderful LOVE towards us, our Father God, Who is rich in mercy, made us spiritually alive together with Christ. By His grace – His undeserved favour and mercy – we have been saved from God’s judgment, even when we were spiritually dead and separated from Him because of our sin (Ephesians 2:4-5).

Today, let us look at the undeserved gifts we have freely received from our Heavenly Father – Mercy and Grace.

Looking at some keywords:
– Justice is when we get what we deserve.
– Grace is when we get what we don’t deserve.
– Mercy is when we don’t get what we do deserve.
– Love is the divine nature, the essence of God.
– Peace is a state of tranquillity, wholeness and quietness of spirit that transcends all understanding.

REFLECTING on 2022 and going into 2023, may we REMEMBER that:

All of us have fallen short of what God planned for us – we all have a sinful nature and make mistakes. But how amazing to know that because of the LOVE and SACRIFICE of Jesus, the ‘Mercy of God’ has delivered us from the judgement we so rightly deserve. Because of Jesus, we don’t get what we deserve; instead, we receive His gift of MERCY.

GRACE is getting what we do not deserve! Grace is a free gift from God that comes with our salvation – it represents His unmerited favour, His blessing upon us! Think for a moment of all the ‘grace gifts’ God has given you… Your life, your family, your friends, your health, your home, your food, your clothing, all your belongings… Everything we have is a ‘grace gift’ from God – an extension of His kindness and compassion. We come into this world with nothing, yet because of His great LOVE, He provides so much, even when we do not deserve it.

When we truly consider the great gifts we have in ‘Mercy’ (not receiving what we deserve) and ‘Grace’ (receiving what we do not deserve), it brings ‘Peace’ and ‘Joy’ to our hearts. We can live each day knowing that the God who created us also provides for us and can be trusted to care for our every need. This gives us ‘peace beyond all understanding.’ We can approach the throne of God’s gracious favour with confidence and without fear, to receive mercy for our failures and to find His amazing grace to help us in our time of need. Let us remember, He gives us an appropriate blessing, at just the right moment. (Hebrews 4:16)

In response, may we bow down in worship and thanksgiving, surrendering our lives and our year into the gracious, loving, good, kind and merciful hands of our Father! May we immerse ourselves in studying God’s Holy Word and in prayer and praise. May we allow God to renew and transform us through His grace, love and mercy. Let’s allow Him to show us the truth of who we are, who He is and how He can use us in the days and years to come.

Pray:

Lord Jesus, we humbly come before you, looking back at 2022 with grateful hearts and looking forward with anticipation about all that You will do in 2023. As we consider Your great goodness to each of us, we thank You for every prayer partner in the sound of my voice. May You bless them and their families in the new year with health and strength. May You meet their every need and draw them closer to Your side. May You bless their quiet time in Your Holy Word. May you bless their finances, relationships, professions, children and time Lord, so that they will serve You well in every detail of their lives. Lord, may we grow closer as friends and as prayer partners as we grow closer to You in the coming year. We love You, Lord. Thank You for loving us so much that You sent Jesus to live and die on our behalf. It gives us great hope for 2023. In Jesus’ precious name.

And now, from all of us here at Women at Work Online Ministries, may I pray Numbers 6:24-26 (AMP) over you and your family: “The Lord bless you, and keep you [protect you, sustain you, and guard you]; The Lord make His face shine upon you [with favour], And be gracious to you [surrounding you with lovingkindness]; The Lord lift up His countenance (face) upon you [with divine approval], And give you peace [a tranquil heart and life].” Amen.

May God’s LOVE, GRACE and MERCY follow you all the days of your life!

(This WRAP is with great appreciation towards Mary Lynn)

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