God's Love Extending Forgiveness and Mercy

Recently, my mother asked me to get Les Miserables (1998) from Netflix. I had never seen it but heard great things about it, and she wanted to see it again as it had been some time. My mom and I operate on completely different time schedules, but I left work early so that we could watch it together. I didn't really know what to expect only knowing a fraction of what the 2hr movie had in story.

I was blown away by the film, and let me tell you why...
I am blessed to have a Godly, Biblical world view and this movie was terribly

Let me give you a quick run down, for those who haven't had the pleasure of seeing the movie.
*Spoiler*
Jean Valjean, the main character, is as thief. He is given harbor by a religious leader when no one else would take him in. Jean honors this man by stealing his silver, striking him down and leaving! The next day, the authorities bring him back on suspicion of this very act. However, the father does something that Jean did not expect. He grants him forgiveness by telling the police that he in fact gave the sliver to Jean, and he had forgotten to take additional pieces. Valjean is convicted by his mercy and forgiveness and vows to become a changed man.

As the movie progresses, Jean moves from a humble worker to an even more humble wealthy mayor. The things he does for the commoners amidst their hate for him is astounding. The film continues on and on following suit as he is pursed again and again. Check out the film to get the whole story.

As I mentioned, this movie struck me on my spiritual level. One simple act of the father changed this man's life forever. The people that Jean's generosity, mercy and forgiveness touched started an exponential growth! The father passed, never knowing the influence that he had.

How then, are we -- am I to look as a follower, as a ambassador, as a child of God? Am I simply to extend God's love and forgiveness when I see it fit? Or did God not have mercy on us, when we turned our backs on Him time and time again?

Could a single act of kindness and mercy really have such a large impact?
I think God's word speaks best.

Luke 23 (NASB)
⁴⁴ By this time it was noon, and darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. ⁴⁵ The light from the sun was gone. And suddenly, the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn down the middle. ⁴⁶ Then Jesus shouted, “Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!” And with those words he breathed his last.

A single act is all it took to save us from eternal separation from God. When then do we help someone in hurting, or extend a bit of mercy to someone in need?

What does it look like to truly let the love of the Father guide what you are doing? How loving, merciful and forgiving could you be in rush-hour traffic, at work or even to your significant other? What does true love look like?

1 Corinthians 13 (NLT)
⁴ Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud ⁵ or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. ⁶ It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. ⁷ Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

Love Never Fails by Brandon Heath is a lovely that talks about this kind of love. I love this song, because it reminds me of how blessed I am to have God's love and forgiveness.

I pray that I can show God's love through my actions, always choosing to extend God's mercy to others so that His glory shines through me.

Love is the way, the truth, the life.

Struggles and Loneliness

This post is a bit of a ramble, but I feel much better after reflecting on the Word and praying over it. I hope that you are blessed in the way that I have been tonight through conversation and meditation.

Recently, I have been overwhelmed.

With the pace that the summer has been flying by, and the sheer amount of things that I have (or haven't) done! I am currently working two jobs, or at least trying to balance the hours between the two. One of these has become increasingly stressful, and frantic.

Today, America's birthday, I had the opportunity to work. I'm not the most emotional person, but I was feeling the pressure and almost broke down in the middle of the store.

I have always been an independent person. I don't like to rely on others, I like to know that I can accomplish what I need to on my own. However, deep down I know that the idea of being completely self-reliant isn't true.

I need Christ, and it's okay to not only acknowledge that, but ask for help when the pressure is on. I know that I've felt like a burden when people ask to pray for me, or don't want to seem weak asking for help or prayer. Tonight, I was on Skype with a great friend from school. When meaning to open my Bible to the body of Christ in 1 Corinthians, I looked in Romans.

I came across the following verse (15:30)

I urge you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me

Paul. THE Apostle Paul asks for prayer from those whom he is discipling. Why do I struggle so much to ask for prayer from others, or even pray to God for strength? Is my selfishness in the way, or my pride throwing up a hurdle? Why don't I fall on my face and share my struggles with the Lord. I get frustrated at the way things happen!

Read Psalms 73

¹ Surely God is good to Israel,
to those who are pure in heart.

² But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;
I had nearly lost my foothold.
³ For I envied the arrogant
when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

⁴ They have no struggles;
their bodies are healthy and strong.^[a]
5 They are free from common human burdens;
they are not plagued by human ills.
⁶ Therefore pride is their necklace;
they clothe themselves with violence.
⁷ From their callous hearts comes iniquity^[b];
their evil imaginations have no limits.
⁸ They scoff, and speak with malice;
with arrogance they threaten oppression.
⁹ Their mouths lay claim to heaven,
and their tongues take possession of the earth.
¹⁰ Therefore their people turn to them
and drink up waters in abundance.^[c]
11 They say, “How would God know?
Does the Most High know anything?”

¹² This is what the wicked are like—
always free of care, they go on amassing wealth.

¹³ Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure
and have washed my hands in innocence.
¹⁴ All day long I have been afflicted,
and every morning brings new punishments.

¹⁵ If I had spoken out like that,
I would have betrayed your children.
¹⁶ When I tried to understand all this,
it troubled me deeply
¹⁷ till I entered the sanctuary of God;
then I understood their final destiny.

¹⁸ Surely you place them on slippery ground;
you cast them down to ruin.
¹⁹ How suddenly are they destroyed,
completely swept away by terrors!
²⁰ They are like a dream when one awakes;
when you arise, Lord,
you will despise them as fantasies.

²¹ When my heart was grieved
and my spirit embittered,
²² I was senseless and ignorant;
I was a brute beast before you.

²³ Yet I am always with you;
you hold me by my right hand.
²⁴ You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will take me into glory.
²⁵ Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
²⁶ My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.

²⁷ Those who are far from you will perish;
you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.
²⁸ But as for me, it is good to be near God.
I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge;
I will tell of all your deeds.

We have every right to be frustrated! But we need to take heart. Jesus has over come the world, and He will 'hold you by [your] right hand' and He is the 'strength of my heart and my portion forever.' When things get tough instead of trying to control everything for yourself, give it up to God. He will make your path straight.

] Paul was retelling the story of his conversion to Christianity in Acts 22. After God tells him who He is, Paul asks one simple question: “What shall I do, Lord?"

I pray that this is the question on my heart as I continue through the summer. What shall I do Lord? What would you have me do?

I pray that you would remain positive through frustration, and rely on God for strength asking him, what shall I do, Lord?

In Colossians we see Paul praying for the church, for believers like you and me.
This too, is my prayer for friends and family alike.

Colossians 1:9-12

⁹ For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,^{[a] 10} so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, ¹¹ being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, ¹² and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you^[b] to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.