mercy to breathe

“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 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 4:14-16

Mercy:

compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm, performed out of a desire to relieve suffering

Compassion: concern for the suffering of others

Latin: compati ‘suffer with’

My child,

My flawless compassion gives me the desire to relieve your suffering. But I went further than just entertaining a strong feeling, or wishing things could be different for you.

Through my Son, I poured my deity into the helpless form of a human infant. He was born into a time and place where people immediately wanted to murder him. There are many postcard-worthy, idyllic spots in my creation where we could have staged a magnificent entrance. But my Son spent his first days in a cattle trough. A little-noticed miracle in a manger! (Not, in any way, as peaceful as it looks in the paintings.)

His mother was a blessed, but frightened, inexperienced girl who had very little idea what she was getting into. I interrupted perfect, joy-filled, eternal communion in the Trinity for those inglorious beginnings in a stable complete with manure and dirty animals. There was no Twitter feed to announce his celebrity arrival. No headlines proclaiming, “Today God Became Human!”

And as it turned out, these extraordinarily humble beginnings were not going to be the most challenging chapter in his earth story. Until the triumph of his resurrection, he experienced immense spiritual, emotional and physical adversity.

I am heavily invested in this living, breathing connection with you. I know how you struggle. I understand because I have truly taken on skin and shared in the stress and strain of being human.

You can come confidently to me. I have made a way through Christ’s life, death and resurrection. Because you have accepted his sacrificial gift, you can come to my throne of grace and find everything you need.

I love you,

Abba

My Abba,

Thank you that you can sympathize with my weakness. Thank you for choosing a hands-on experience with this world and its trials and temptations. You do not sit back lounging on some cushy cloud recliner uninformed about how hard it is to live in this world.

You have been here and done this. You understand how challenging it can be to thrive in a place where our enemy is hell-bent on using us for target practice. Thank you that despite his hostilities, you are ultimately victorious and made provision for us always to approach you with confidence. Not confidence in what we have, or have not, done. But utter confidence in what you have done perfectly for us.

You provide pure rest. Thank you that I don’t have to stress about measuring up. Thank you that the gateway to our relationship is not about my performance, but your perfection. And thank you that in your presence, I find the mercy and grace I need to breathe.

I love you,

Mollie

Photo: anyaberkut