grace, mercy, love

I love stories or analogies that parallel the bible and life of Jesus. I love when people can take any situation and relate it back to Christ. I love seeing Jesus in the people all around me. It's beautiful. When i see them it makes me even more excited to be a mother, but even more afraid at the same time.

In order to be this kind of person you have to have the eyes of Jesus. You must be able to step outside of your circumstance and look in at what He is trying to work in or through you. I'm not good at this in my own life. I want to be, because i truly believe it's breathtaking and beautiful, but i have to admit to you... i stink.

Below is a story that i read recently that overwhelmed me, brought tears to my eyes, and reminded me of the love of Jesus.

A mother and father got a phone call one afternoon that their teenage daughter, age 15, was pregnant. You can imagine what they must have felt in that moment. I'm sure it felt like the world stopped spinning all together or started spinning uncontrolably faster. The mother tells her story through her blog. How the Lord taught her lessons of grace and mercy through her daughters pregnancy. Everyday that her daughter walked in the door from school she (the mother) had two options - she could remind her of her mistake over and over again or she could forgive her and love her unconditionally.

Talk about imitating Jesus.

Romans 5:8 says, But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

He died knowing that tomorrow we were going to reject Him, forsake Him, spit on His face, ignore Him, be disobedient, and downright rude. He loved us so much that He went to the cross anyways. And each time i mess up He forgives me over and over.... He doesn't remind me of the mistake that i made the day before each morning when i wake up. He loves.

And that's how i am suppose to love.... knowing that tomorrow (my friend, sister, brother, or whomever) is going to probably do something that downright hurts me, upsets me, ticks me off, or makes zero sense and is completely ignorant to me. I am suppose to love even when the person seems to be the least bit deserving of grace.

The daughter asked her mother if contractions hurt. The mother recalled the pain of each of her deliveries. Yes baby, but you were worth it all.

I couldn't help but think of Christ when i read that.

Yes, Megan. Dying to give you life hurt. But you were worth it all. I love you that much that i would do whatever it cost to bring you to life.

I don't know that i will ever think of labor, delivery, and the contractions that we have in the same way. It is now a picture of Christ to me. Loving someone so much that you are willing to surrender to whatever pain may come.

That's life.... that's the picture of Christ..... loving when it's hard, loving when it hurts, loving knowing that you may not get anything in return, loving knowing that it may cost your life.

In Micah 7 it says that the Lord delights to show mercy.

I want to be a woman of grace, mercy and love. A woman of God. A woman who radiants His light and love where ever she goes. I want that so bad, that i can't even express it to you. In my humanness i can't even imagine being that kind of person. I don't feel capable of it. I feel like i either try too hard and mess up, or i don't try hard enough. I feel like i will never be able to reach that woman. But i know that it is possible through Him. I just have to continually surrender everyday, even though at times i don't even know what that means or what that asks of me.

Life is a process. A journey. It isn't about finding a career, a husband, a job, or even being a mother. It's about finding Him and then reflecting that light in those places. It's about going through the process of discerning His voice and His will in each of those situations. It's about love. It's about Jesus.

I encourage you to click the links back to her page and read her story. It's much more detailed than mine.... and much more interesting. Writing is my worst subject. As if you haven't noticed. I must get going - i've already missed one class while typing this... because i take entirely too long trying to form my thoughts to where someone else will understand them when reading my blog. I love you.