O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for His mercy
endures forever. Psalm 136:1
When I was a child, our family used to go camping for
vacation. All eight of us would pile into our station wagon filled to the brim
with camping equipment, food, and clothes. Off we would head to the country, to
our favorite spot, nestled in the rolling Ozark hills, called Alley Springs.
One of the attractions there is an old mill, next to a
bubbling spring of crystal water. I would look at this pool of azure blue with
such awe that it mingled with trepidation, as I would imagine diving into its
unimaginable depth, into water so cold it hurts. The surface of this pool was
smooth but the overflow cascaded at thundering force continually. The spring of
water was never ending, and even though I haven’t visited that place in years,
I know the spring is still pumping its mighty underground river, where it
overflows into the Jack’s Fork River.
The cool, clear water of the river was refreshing on a hot
summer day, but at night the air would chill. We would all huddle around the
campfire. All our senses were being entertained, with the smell of smoke, the
crackling wood, the brilliant sparkling stars against an ebony sky, the face of
the moon with its Mona Lisa smile, and in the distance the frogs, in sing-song
fashion, harmonized in deep bass and high soprano. The cicadas played their
fiddles, and the mosquitos hummed their tunes. The night was alive with music,
and wonder.
I tell you this descriptive story, to bring home the point
of God’s wonderful blessings, clothed in His acts of divine favor and
compassion towards us. Also, I want to show that God’s gift can bring about a
reformation, and rehabilitation of our spirit, much like a vacation to your
favorite spot, brings a renewal or sorts to your mentality, spirit, and
strength.
God has blessed us so far and above all we deserve. He has
brought mercy through His beauty in so many forms. The most beautiful of all forms
was Himself, dressed in flesh and blood, with the name of Jesus. He gave up His
life for us, the greatest merciful gift of all, while we were merciless,
hopeless, and helpless. With His gift, He reversed all those broken things in
us, and recovered us to a rightful relationship with Him. He gathers us like a
hen to her chicks, under His wing of safety and love.
In Lamentations 3 we hear of God’s compassion according to
His multitude of mercy. Revelations 21:6 says, "It is done. I am the Alpha
and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts
from the spring of the water of life without cost.” Jesus referred to Himself
as the living water, and for all who are thirsty, He bids them to come to Him.
His mercy endures forever, just like a spring of water.
I think we are all in great need of God’s mercy. He loves us
so much, and looks at us with the compassionate eyes of a Holy Father. If we
just pause to take in the beauty He has given us, we can see, hear, smell, and
feel His lovingkindness. He wants us to
taste and see, that He is good indeed. Come to His life-giving water, and drink
in His satisfying grace of goodness, called mercy.
Dear Father of Mercy, Thank you for continually bestowing
your loving kindness towards us. Amen
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