Old Clothes, New Mercies

I'm drinking in the joys of my siblings tonight...giggles from Jonathan and Rebecca, who are talking and chasing each other around the living room; Amanda's elation over finishing (in seven days!) the hefty Bonhoeffer tome by Eric Metaxas; Jessie's unabashed delight over trying on the old (possibly Civil War era) clothing we just received from Aunt Leslie. This morning, Amanda, Daniel, Jonathan, Ana and Rebecca played violin and piano pieces in the National Federation of Music Clubs annual Junior Music Festival. There were superior ratings all around (top scores)! Needless to say, they were all pretty happy about that.  :)

Many things in life discourage, sadden and frustrate: tragic or simply tiring circumstances, other people's failings, one's own inabilities and failings. But for those who wait on God and hope in His word, mercies come new every morning. Sometimes His mercies are material blessings, relational joys, or personal victories. Other times they are the sure glimpses of His Spirit at work softening a heart or opening a mind. When self-pity and despondency threaten and the eyes of the heart are too dim to see His mercies elsewhere, prayer in God's presence and the Scriptures are mercies beyond compare, as is the faith He supplies to cling to His promises. Here are a few passages I've been thinking over and holding onto this past week:

• "And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work." 2 Cor 9:8
• "And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up." Gal 6:9
• "...make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." 2 Pet 1:5-8
• "The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Phil 4:5b-7

God's people have much to be thankful for - much more than the real but temporary joys of superior ratings and "new" old clothes. Rejoice over the whole gamut of God's mercies, but rejoice over this mercy first, that "He made [Christ] to be sin who knew no sin, so that in [Christ] we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Cor 5:21).