Lent journey: MERCY

Custom sign by Becky Leach of etsy shop:  Little Branches

The faithful love of the Lord never ends!  His mercies never cease.

Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning.

Lamentations 3:22-23 (NLT)

Definition of mercy:  compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm.

From my Christian Growth Study Bible's How to Read Lamentations, an excerpt:

If you've ever suffered a significant loss, Lamentations can help bring healing and restoration.  It's a beautiful, though sober book describing the pain of a people stripped of everything but their hope in God.  It's filled wit crushing emotions; anger, desperation, fear, loneliness, hopelessness.  But in reading Lamentations, those who have been wounded may feel strangely understood and comforted.  

Personal reflection:  Is this not the most amazing news?!  How can we not begin each new day praising God and rejoicing in who He is when He has shared this Truth with us?!  Sometimes, it's really hard to wrap my head around this Truth.  If God would do this for us, it should teach us, each one, to show mercy toward others?  As we live in His faithfulness each day of this life, should we not also be faithful to Him?  

As I pondered this word mercy and God's faithfulness to us, I discovered Sara Groves and her beautiful song, He's Always Been Faithful.  I pray mercy and faithfulness grows in me daily and that it overflows from my life into the lives of others who cross my path along this journey....  God is good.  All the time.  Thank You, Lord, for Your mercy and faithfulness!