Mercy and Grace

Last week we read in Isaiah 6:1-7 CSB part of the story of Isaiah and about God’s mercy and forgiveness. Like Isaiah, we have the immeasurable grace of God that offers mercy and forgiveness despite our undeniable depravity. We have the ultimate sacrifice of Christ that means atonement is attainable after all. And we have the unbeatable strength of our Lord, who promises to never leave us, even when we do unspeakable things.

We cannot bear the burden of our sins, and we cannot erase them from history or repair the damage they’ve done. But it’s okay. We were never meant to. God has given us a way to face our past, our sins, ourselves. He has given us a way to heal and to move forward. Jesus is the place we begin and the place our sins come to an end. He is the one who looks at everything we are and everything we’ve don – even, and especially, the parts we’ve tried to hide – and He says, “You are loved. You are forgiven. It is finished.”

If you’re breaking under the weight of your sin today, if you’re afraid to face the reality of what has gone before, if you don’t know how you can possibly handle this, how you can ever move on – I pray God will open your eyes to the ultimate truth, to the gift of salvation, to the forgiveness and atonement that we all desperately need. I pray that He will hold you close and comfort you when you grieve, that He will give you strength and resilience and guidance as you move forward. I pray you will no longer feel exhausted or terrified or paralyzed, that you will accept the gift He’s offering you and walk forward with eyes open and heart full.

Because you are loved. You are forgiven. It is finished.

This is an excerpt from Journey to the Cross: Forty Days to Prepare Your Heart for Easter, from the (in)courage community. If you are enjoying this series, you can purchase the book to experience forty days of encouragement and guided Scripture, reflections, and prayers.