Five Minute Friday: Mercy

Today, I'm joining with some crazy, brave and inspiring women at the blog of Lisa Jo Baker. Each Friday she gives a prompt and with that prompt, writers write for 5 minutes with no second-guessing. Just writing what comes to them. Then, they share and encourage each other. What a great {and scary} idea. 

I'm joining in and challenging you to do the same! Today's prompt is "Mercy".

To love mercy as the scripture says I should...I get all hung up and tongue-tied on that word sometimes. 

What is it?
What is it about mercy that stops me in my tracks and either makes me weep or turns my heart to stone?

I had to take this to prayer and I asked God to show me my struggle with it. What he showed me was that it wasn't so much the "mercy" part that I needed to worry about. He wanted me to look at the "walk humbly" part first. When I can walk humbly, low to the ground, and without all the noise of pride in stilettos, I can see the eyes and outstretched hands of others. I can see the very place I was in when He found me. 

Yes. Loving mercy is choosing me last. Loving mercy is remembering the heap I was in when He stretched out His hand to me. His hand...it was scarred for the all the wounds of the cross He suffered for me. And in my pile of selfishness and stench of sin, He looked on me with warmth and the smile of someone who was so happy to have found me looking for Him too. 

Mercy said to me "forget about all of that, I forgive you & have always loved you".

Walk humbly.

Remember the smudges on the face and the snags and tears in the facade you worked so hard to keep in place. Remember the coldness turned to warmth as everything...every.last.thing. was washed away. 

Remember mercy. 

Once you remember it, you can give it more freely.