“Finally let’s draw near to the throne of favor with confidence so that we can receive mercy and find grace when we need it.”  Hebrews 4:16

I wonder as a child; did you ever do anything you were not supposed to do.  I mean, was there a time that your mom, or your dad, or someone who cared about you told you, “Don’t do…” because they wanted to keep you from being hurt?

I would have been about 12, we’d just moved back into our house, t had been destroyed by a tornado.  Soon after we got back in, lumber and nails were delivered so that the garage out back could also be rebuilt.  Dad told me, “Rob, I don’t want you messing with the lumber or those nails.”  My response, “Yes Dad” but in my mind it was wait, boards, nails.  His words had no more faded off and I had grabbed a hammer and went out back.  I got that nail lined up and the hammer raised above my head.  I swung as hard as I could, trying to drive that 16-penny nail all the way into the board with one blow.

Breaking news alert, it didn’t work that way, rather the head of the hammer came crashing down onto my thumb nail.  At that very moment, I let out a wail like I was a firetruck head to rescue a baby.  The hammer went flying and I went running, right to dad. 

His words were calming, merciful, loving and kind.  He double checked everything and then went and got an ice bag and helped me hold it there for a couple of minutes while pulling me closely to comfort me.  In that moment, he didn’t lecture me, punish me rather I knew, love, mercy, and grace.

Just as my father pulled me closely and cared for me in that moment, even though I’d done what he had told me not too, our heavenly Father, calls us in closely to where he is seated, holding us closely, offering us mercy and grace and love, even when we have turned away from Him or done what he has told us not to do.

So, no matter what may be troubling you today, what might be causing you pain, even it it’s because you picked hammer and…bring it to Jesus today.  Move closer and rest in God’s loving mercy and grace.

Prayer: “Lord, thank you that that I can come to you, no matter what.   I come now to let your mercy and your grace flow over me in this moment.  Hold me firmly and guide me gently in your will and in your ways.