Grace and Mercy
By Stephanie LaCasse
By Stephanie LaCasse
Let us then approach
God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find
grace to help us in our time of need.
Hebrews 4:16 (NIV)
Hebrews 4:16 (NIV)
As
I saw the red and blue flashing lights in my rearview mirror, it was a feeling
of dread and alarm that crept up the back of my neck. Questions flooded my
mind. Was I speeding? Since I was on a familiar path to work, it was entirely
possible as I wasn’t really thinking about my speed. The officer came to my
window and informed me… bum bum BUMMER! I had not paid the registration that
was due four months prior. Oops. He also informed me that my driver’s license
had expired at the end of the previous month. Double oops. I had received the
notice, pinned it on our dry erase board, and forgotten about it. Guilty.
The officer wrote me a ticket and informed me that it could be reduced or eliminated if I appeared at my court date. I felt guilty, frustrated…and frankly, stupid, that I had made two careless errors. The officer was kind and merely doing his job, upholding the law. Before departing, I thanked the officer for keeping us safe. He smiled, chuckled and said, “I try.”
Fast forward to my court date. All of the traffic offenders are placed in one room, and you wait to be called forward. It’s humiliating, to say the least, as everyone is listening to everyone else’s crimes. I was called forward; I expected the judge to tell me I should have known better. Instead, he showed me considerable mercy and did not take points. He even greatly reduced my ticket.
I left the courthouse with a smile on my face and a reminder of our Heavenly Judge. When I was speaking to the officer, he showed me grace by extending kindness where he didn’t have to. I was shown mercy by the judge, not giving me what I deserved since I had committed the crime. Just as the woman in Luke 7 was extended grace and mercy by Jesus, so was I. Jesus knew just who she was and what she had been doing prior to their meeting, yet He showed her great compassion. Let those of us who are sinners (Steph raises her hand), reach out to others with grace and mercy…just as it has been given to us in abundance.
GOING DEEPER:
1. What ways has God specifically shown you grace and mercy?
The officer wrote me a ticket and informed me that it could be reduced or eliminated if I appeared at my court date. I felt guilty, frustrated…and frankly, stupid, that I had made two careless errors. The officer was kind and merely doing his job, upholding the law. Before departing, I thanked the officer for keeping us safe. He smiled, chuckled and said, “I try.”
Fast forward to my court date. All of the traffic offenders are placed in one room, and you wait to be called forward. It’s humiliating, to say the least, as everyone is listening to everyone else’s crimes. I was called forward; I expected the judge to tell me I should have known better. Instead, he showed me considerable mercy and did not take points. He even greatly reduced my ticket.
I left the courthouse with a smile on my face and a reminder of our Heavenly Judge. When I was speaking to the officer, he showed me grace by extending kindness where he didn’t have to. I was shown mercy by the judge, not giving me what I deserved since I had committed the crime. Just as the woman in Luke 7 was extended grace and mercy by Jesus, so was I. Jesus knew just who she was and what she had been doing prior to their meeting, yet He showed her great compassion. Let those of us who are sinners (Steph raises her hand), reach out to others with grace and mercy…just as it has been given to us in abundance.
GOING DEEPER:
1. What ways has God specifically shown you grace and mercy?
2.
What is something you can do today to show grace or mercy to another
person?
FURTHER
READING:
Jonah 4
Jonah 4
Stephanie is a mom of three young sons and wife to Dave, who
is currently in seminary preparing for chaplaincy in the US Army. In her spare
time, she’s employed at a law firm.
