With a humble, grateful heart

I received an email from a dear, dear friend this morning:  "I was reading this morning and came across something that is really, really, really good!  I had to share it with you.  Simple statement but packed with depth.  "Relationships don't thrive because the guilty are punished but because the innocent are merciful"  This was in the middle of the story about how Jesus washed the feet of Judas even though He knew Judas was about to betray Him.  Very powerful!!!"

I have asked my friend who wrote that?
It really made me think.  None of us are really innocent, only Jesus, and it's only through His mercy and grace that any of us have a thriving relationship with Him or each other.  God's mercy... the main reason He allowed sin to enter His creation... because he wanted us to know ALL of Him and a big part of Him is His Mercy.  His mercy is the biggest reason for loving Him, because He's so merciful to us and wants a relationship with us, made that relationship possible through the work of Jesus Christ on the Cross and through His resurrection.  Our actions and heart of mercy can only come from our thriving relationship with Him and it brings Him glory and satisfies us.  All of His attributes that we are able to live out bring glory to Him and satisfy us. Ooooooo.  Good stuff.  As my Don says, "That'll preach, brother."

This morning, I am so humbled and grateful, hence the title... yes, it's my blog and I can say "hence" if I want to.  I have to tell you a story about last night.  You know, I'm a little nervous about living in a 5th wheel in the middle of tornado country and my Father knows that... talk about mercy.  Picture a radar screen with a small circle indicating where we are parked. Last night as the two big storms (sirens going off in OKC, Moore and Norman) (tornado touched down in Anadarko) passed through this area, one was on the left of us and the other on the right of us with only a few miles in between. We were in that small alley where it didn't even rain and the wind was gentle. I can just hear Him saying, "My beloved daughter is learning to trust me in ALL situations, so West Storm, you can only come this far and East Storm, you must start at this line and go away from her so she can see that I will take care of her and I am in control."  Makes me tear-up just thinking about how much He loves and cares for us. He did not have to create such a vivid display of the storms missing us... we have a storm shelter here at the park, but He did and it spoke volumes to me and was a tremendous faith builder for me.  Thank you, Father. Thank you, Jesus, for making this thriving relationship with the Father possible for me.  Thank You, Thank You, Thank You.  God also protected our family here for which we praise Him.

We are so blessed.