Showing posts with label mercy. Show all posts

22 Days Left The Challenge Goes On!


Sorry it has been a while since my last update on the Grace challenge. I am finding this more challenging then I thought but challenging ourselves is how we enhanced ourselves and I am feeling increasing joy from this challenge and I do believe I am becoming a nicer person and I progressively more benevolent; so all in all this challenge is proving to do good in my life and hopefully in others as well. Back to my challenges, my day of appreciation went favourably l, I found the more grateful I was the more people did for me and they happier they seemed. I asked my husband is a nonchalant way if saying the word “I would appreciate if you did...” or “thank-you I am grateful for what you did” made a difference in how he felt and he stated that everybody likes to feel they are appreciated and it does encourage you to do better quality of work. I also found the best part about saying thank-you I appreciate what you did is people seem to beam from the inside when you said those words, I do believe I am going to try and incorporate expressing my appreciation in the future it is such a simple way to begin to make the world a better place and even baby steps make a difference. So for two more challenges for Wednesday and Thursday I am going to so an enemy kindness a gift of mercy and give someone the gift of time. “God has given me this day to use it as I will. I can waste it - or use it for good, but what I do today is important, because I am exchanging a day of my life for it.!” [Heartsill Wilson]


Prayer for Mercy



Help me Jesus, that what I ask of You - I will give to others - Mercy, both in deed and word

Help me, O Lord, that my eyes may be merciful, so that I may never suspect or judge others, but always look for what is beautiful and good in my neighbour



Help me, that my ears may be merciful, so that I may give heed to others' needs and not be indifferent to their pain



Help me, O Lord, that my tongue may be merciful, so that I should never speak wrongly of others, but have a word of comfort and forgiveness for all



Help me, O Lord, that my hands may be merciful and filled with good deeds so that I may do only good to others and try to take upon myself the more difficult and toilsome tasks



Help me, that my feet may be merciful, so that I may hurry to assist others, overcoming my own fatigue and weariness with Your love and mercy.



Amen

29 Days Left

Challenge number one done, 29 days left! For my First Grace challenge I made homemade bread for this man in my town. His story is a heartbreaking story, he was a master electrician and when I say master he was the best in his trade. The word on the street was he could do anything with electricity he had a God given talent. So he started a company became a millionaire and then sorrowfully threw it all away for alcohol. In 20 years he went from a respectable member of the community to a miserable alcoholic. His millions gone long ago and now he lives with numerous cats in a small run downed trailer that should be condemned. He has no friends, no family; he looks like skin and bones. His attire is dirty, torn, and has a pungent aroma of cat pee. He has created a gloomy life for himself and people don’t care, he caused all his troubles and people have no sympathy for him. When I was thinking about this challenge he was the first person that came to my mind, so I made him bread and my husband remarked “but he is a stranger!” I replied with a crooked smile “I know.” He gave me a sideways glance like your peculiar, but I’m use to that I am sure hubby thinks I am a little eccentric most of the time, but walking away shaking his head with a smile he said “ He will really like that”. Furthermore, I was met by many demons during this challenge. The demon fear was the chief demon, I was fearful people and this stranger would think I was senseless, I could hear the devil in my ear whispering “You’re not helping....he will laugh.” But I pushed those thoughts away and in spite of fear I completed my challenge and I hope that this cheerless man has a better day today and knows someone has noticed him. After completing this challenge I experienced no life changes but I feel I am thinking and looking for ways I can show Grace and Mercy and that is a start for a better life and world. So I know all you are sitting with enthusiasm on the edge of your seat waiting for the next challenge so wait no more tomorrow’s challenge is... befriend a “nobody”, look around and find that person that is always around but alone and no one ever notices them they are the invisible part of the world, do something to show friendship and help make them feel loved and that they belong.

I am bending my knee

In the eye of the Father who created me,

In the eye of the Son who died for me,

In the eye of the Spirit who cleansed me,

In love and desire.

Pour down upon us from heaven

The rich blessing of Thy forgiveness;

Thou who art uppermost in the City,

Be Thou patient with us.

Grant to us, Thou Saviour of Glory,

The fear of God, the love of God, and His affection,

And the will of God to do on earth at all times

As angels and saints do in heaven;

Each day and night give us Thy peace.

Each day and night give us Thy peace.

Ancient Celtic prayer collected by Alexander Carmichael (1832-1912), published in Carmina Gadelica (Edinburgh: Floris Books, 1992). These are prayers, hymns, and incantations collected in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland in the 18th century.

The Proposal

Today in church we were learning about grace, and the message made me think what is grace? and that if we are made by Christ to be like Christ then we all have it in us to show Grace and mercy regularly; but how many of us do? The Biblical definition of Grace is the unearned gift the Father gives his children, and likewise the Webster dictionary defines Graces as a capacity to tolerate, accommodate, or forgive people, and the infinite love, mercy, favour, and goodwill shown to humankind by God. Also other words for Grace are: mercy which is kindness or forgiveness shown especially to somebody a person has power over, benevolence is the duty to do good by others, blessing which is help believed to come from God, and charity which is the impartial love of other people and the voluntary provision of money, materials, or help to people in need. Therefore Grace’s is the duty to do good, show tolerance, forgive, show impartial love and help others in need even if it is unearned. We have been saved by God’s Grace as pointed out in Titus 3:5 "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us."And Eph.2 8, 9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” God has given us this unmerited gift of life and continually shows us Grace by giving us blessings when we repeatedly are undeserving of them. Thomas Watson said "How many steps may a man take in the way to the kingdom of God, and yet miss it?" This is true how often we have lost our way, but God by grace shows us the way back. We have Christ in us and we were made in his image, then shouldn’t we try to live like Christ? And if God shows us Grace and Mercy day after day then isn’t our obligation to show our Grace and Mercy to all people? And if everyone made an effort to show Mercy and Grace habitually then wouldn’t our world be a better place? In the Bible there are scripture saying we should live with grace, for instance: Luke 6: 35-36 “I tell you, love your enemies. Help and give without expecting a return. You’ll never – I promise – regret it. Live out this God created identity the way our Father lives toward us, generously and graciously, even when we’re at our worst. Our Father is kind; you are kind.” And Romans 12: 14-21 “Bless your enemies; [...] get along with each other; don’t be stuck up. Make friends with nobodies; don’t be the great somebody. Don’t hit back; discover the great beauty in everyone [...] if you see your enemy hungry, go buy the person lunch, or if he’s thirsty, get him a drink. Your generosity will surprise him with goodness. Don’t let evil get the best of you; get the best of evil by doing well.” God is telling us to live well and do well; my final question is if we were to show Grace and mercy daily would this have an impact on our life? And this is the question that leads me to my challenge for myself and my readers: I am proposing a 30 day Challenge where we will make an effort to find one person a day and show them our mercy and grace. I will document the challenges, reaction and in the end the difference in my life. This is not for the faint of heart and it could be life changing. One day one person and we WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!! February 8 will mark day 1 of the Grace Challenge and challenge number one is: To find a person in need that most people would say about them “they made their bed” and bring them a one dish meal!! A final prayer to help "Dear Lord, bless us and lift us up. Thank you for your wonderful mercy and grace! There is no other like you. Increase those qualities in us. Help us to show mercy and grace to others. Forgive us for the times when we have not. Praise you for your awesome character and your consistent love. Increase our faith and our love for you and others. In Jesus' name, Amen."
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