Today is our final April Heart Notes. The verses for April have been such a blessing to my heart. They have reminded me of God’s great love for us; a love that occasioned a great sacrifice. Jesus, the perfect Lamb of God, was nailed to a cross for me…and for you. Comprehending that is almost more than my sinful little heart can bear.
As we look at today’s verses, I want us to be reminded that God’s great love is LIFE to you and me. His love means that we do not have to bear the guilt of our sin. His love means we do not have to live eternally separated from Him because of our sin.
I do not deserve the mercy that God gives me. In the years since I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior, I have taken salvation for granted more times that I even want to think about. All too often I have trampled the grace of God, and grieved the Holy Spirit with my thoughts, words, and actions.
Were it not for God’s great love and mercy, I would have no hope, because there would be nothing I could do to redeem myself before Him. But because of God’s love…….
Because of God’s love, I am redeemed.
Because of God’s love, I find mercy.
Because of God’s love, I am offered grace.
Because of God’s love, I am extended forgiveness.
Because of God’s love…
Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23 (NIV)
That, my friends, is blessed news. At Easter or any day of the year, the news of God’s great love and compassion is welcome relief to the sin-laden heart. I stand in desperate need of love and compassion from Holy God. My guess is that you do, as well. Let’s trust in that love and mercy. Let’s abide in them. Let’s tell the whole world that God’s love and mercy never fail, for our world desperately needs to hear the good news. In our dog-eat-dog, pull-yourself-up-by-the-bootstraps, each-man/woman-for-themselves world, let’s trumpet the good news that God is loving and compassionate. None of us can ever out-sin the mercy and grace of God that was put into action on the cross at Calvary.
Now that is good news.
