His sacrifice was once for all (Hebrews 10:10) on that blessed day we call Good Friday. But His mercies? New every morning.
This is what boggles my mind and steals my breath and presses me to my knees. Because of His compassion, the Lord showers us with His ongoing, never-ending, overflowing kindness and love on a daily basis.
I mess up on Monday. Beg His forgiveness on Tuesday. Make the same mistake on Wednesday. Plead for His mercy on Thursday. Stumble again on Friday. Ask for His grace on Saturday…
Sound familiar? Without His mercy I would be one wretched wreck of a woman. Yet with His mercy I have hope everlasting. So do you, beloved.
“Praise be to the Lord, for he has heard my cry for mercy” (Psalm 28:6). That He listens to us is amazing. That He hears and responds to us, even more so. As Sally commented on Facebook, “His mercy is so undeserved, yet so needed.”
There is one explanation for His generous mercy, and it’s not because we are good people. It’s because we are God’s people.
“When the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy” (Titus 3:4-5).
His compassion covers our failures. His mercy washes over our mess.
Centuries earlier, Daniel shared the same truth: “We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy” (Daniel 9:18).
We are called to show the world not how good we are because we love Jesus, but how good Jesus is because He loves us.
Here it is again, that favorite verse, more needed than ever as the darkness of Good Friday approaches: “His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning” (Lamentations 3:22-23 ESV) I love Dottie’s take on this: “His mercy is like manna. We need a fresh covering of it every day.”
Yes, we do. Monday through Saturday. Even this Sunday, when we bark at our loved ones to hurry so we can get to church on time, or complain that the weather might ruin our Easter plans. Even then, He is merciful.
The Hebrew word racham means “compassion,” and the Greek word eleos in the New Testament means the same: “mercy, pity, compassion.” Different centuries, different cultures, same desperate need. Kyrie eleison. Lord, have mercy.
For those who depend on the mercy of God,
every morning is Easter.
“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).
Lord, we come to you with our hearts aching (again) and our hands out (again), longing for your mercy (again). For every unkind thought or careless action, for every need we could have met for another and didn’t, for every dime and all the time we spent poorly, for the many ways we’ve been our own woman instead of Your woman, have mercy on us. Because of the promises in your Word, Lord, we rejoice in Your certain answer: “Yes.”
How might you praise God for His mercy? Thanks for sharing your thoughts via the link below. And have a joyous Easter morning. He is risen! He is risen indeed!
Your grateful sister, Liz
@LizCurtisHiggs
Liz, So much of the love of Christ flows from your heart through your words. You are like the dear friend that I never had and always wanted. Someone who would speak GRACE and remind me that Jesus loves me and all is well.
Blessings, dear friend, Evelyn
Liz, when I read your blogs, devos, insights, it always blesses me. Ive heard you speak dozens of times and it just occurred to me, I love how you call us beloved at least once when you speak to us, whether in person or on paper! It’s so endearing and I feel like Jesus himself says it and not you. Thank you for today’s devotional. Yes, Easter is every day for me right now… God bless you, beautiful sister!
Romans 2:4 “Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?” I am so thankful for God’s kindness that gives me the willingness to repent. I don’t have the will to do it on my own. Without His gentle grace shown in His kindness, I would be a goner, for sure!
I love your devotions…this one spoke directly to my heart. I fail Him …by sins of omission or commission. Both equally as bad….I ask forgiveness ….and I know His mercy and His grace. Thank you so much for sharing truth….
May you have a blessed Easter!
Thank you Liz! I “stole” your prayer at the end because it works perfectly for me and I intend to say it often! It really moved my soul and brought tears to my eyes. Thanks.
Be blessed,
Lina
Recently read someone referring to “the saw tooth history of God’s people with all their disobedience and repentance. I completely identify with that, and it’s good to be reminded of His grace today in the midst of our ups and downs. Thanks be to God that His mercy includes the grace to keep going after a crash.
Liz, I could listen to your encouragement, wise words and wisdom all day long. So glad you said ‘yes’ to Jesus and bless us with your teaching and books!
I love this verse in Lamentations and need His mercy no fewer than 50 times a day! I praise Him all day long that His mercy never ends. Such a gracious God that gives us so much…so much more than we deserve.
Thanks once again for this awesome reminder.
Have a blessed Resurrection Day!
Me too! And to think, 50 times in a day is no difficult thing for God. He told his disciples to forgive 70 times 7 in one day so being God, how much more is He willing to forgive us? What a Wonderful Scripture and reading!!!!!
I’m looking forward to Heaven for many reasons and one of them is that I will finally get to meet you and we can chat! Jesus gives you the words to say that are just right every time. Were it not for God’s amazing grace and mercy I would be, to use an expression of one of my old cowgirl aunt’s, a “worm in ashes”! How awful is that! How wonderful to know that He has not only forgiven me, but He will continue to forgive me. That is truly amazing grace!
Every morning when the Lord allows me to wake up I know that He has given me another chance to give Him Glory and Praise in everything He has set out for me to do that day. God sets my day before I rise so all I have to do is walk in it with His Grace. That’s what I love about the Lord most of all, all I have to do is just TRUST, BELIEVE, HOPE in His will and walk in it for that day..Everyday His Grace and Mercy is NEW for us and all I can do is thank Jesus for the Cross…..
Believe in Love
Jesus rose for us
Your prayer today hit me on so many levels!! All of your devotions minister so much to me, but today really warmed my heart!
You are so in tune with what I feel. I also really enjoyed what you said during IF this year! You are precious to me, sister…God bless.
Your devotionals are always great, this one is exceptionally good.
Have a blessed Easter with your family. God willing I am going to meet you in Michigan, Hickory Corners. Elaine
He is Risen,Indeed!!
Thank you for sharing your thoughts with me (everyone ), I am always touched and thought-provoked by you. Happy Easter!
Dear Liz,
Thank you for all the wonderful ways you share
the Lord’s love and teach His word. And thank you
for your wonderful words of encouragement!
Luke 24 : 2-3 “And they found the stone rolled away
from the tomb, but when they went in they did not
find the body of the Lord Jesus.” Our Lord Is Risen!
Wishing you and family peace, love, and happiness
at Easter and always.
In Christian love,
Raquel
Good Morning, Liz!!! Thankful for a NEW day and NEW MERCIES, greatly needed. Love this post….love this verse. Once put it on one of our Christmas cards! And, I, like you, can mess up every day. Love your sentence w/the days of the week. Hilarious, but oh-so-true.
I’m studying thru’ David Platt’s Bible study, “Counter Culture” and 1 of the questions today was to list attributes of God and to include the Scripture verse. YOUR post today gives us the answers!!! Lovely. Love & hugs over to you & Happy Bday to Lilly tomorrow!!! EH =)
Needed this reminder today of God ‘s amazing Grace. I fail so many times. Praise the Lord each day each moment is surrounded in Grace. What an amazing sacrifice He made for me. He is Risen indeed!!!
Every morning as we stand in front of the mirror, we need to look for His woman, open the door we keep her behind and allow her to outshine what is temporary. “On earth as it is in heaven” will become reality! Happy Easter! He is risen!
Isn’t God’s love just BEYOND AMAZING….to love us ‘anyway’?
1 John 3:1 How great the love that you, Father, have lavished on me that I am called a child of God! And that is what I am!
Every time I read your blog, Liz, I realize I am not the only human with thoughts and feelings like mine. To know you fall down and get back up gives me courage to continue! To know your faith in forgiveness for repeat actions and thoughts reminds me of His faithfulness and love, which I sometimes forget or doubt. I am so thankful He does not see me as I sometimes do. That is the saving grace! Jesus loves me this I know…Jesus knows me this I love!
God bless you for your posts kind friend. Your love of Him shines so brightly. I love the way you write. You explain things really well. Thank you for your ministry. I am truly grateful.
Dearest Sister Liz,
Thank you for your weekly dose of encouragements and reminders:) I especially love Dottie’s observation that mercy is like mana of which we need a fresh covering every morning! Definitely journaling that one. Praying for your joy to be full this Resurrection Sunday!
Thank you Liz, I just love reading your lessons, it is inspiring to see the depth of His love for us. I fail him far too often, but it is so good to know and be reminded, that His mercy is endless. Praise our Lord and Savior! God bless you as you celebrate this Holy Season.
Liz,
Thank you so much for the reminder that His mercies are new EVERY morning!! HIS truth has encouraged me today…and I needed it!
God bless you for sharing what He has laid upon your heart/mind.
In Christ,
Summer