Mercy, Lord! Lord, Have Mercy!

We’re one week into the 40 days of Easter through to Jesus' ascension to heaven. It’s been an unusual time of “incubation” – I like that word better than “isolation” – because I believe God is doing a sovereign work in our lives during this time and we are going to emerge out of this season as the mature “chicks” that He planned for us all along.

That’s the visual I get about “incubation”. Last summer, as a Volunteer at Children’s Hospital, I was in charge of the baby chicks in their incubation at their Ranch Days Fair. I had to keep little children from reaching into the incubator to pick them up. They weren’t big enough to handle yet and stayed under a warm light so they could absorb what they needed to develop and grow stronger.

That’s a choice we can make too. We can continue to think we’re being punished by a Daddy Who carries a big stick or we can realize our Daddy doesn’t carry a stick at all. Well, maybe He does carry a couple of sticks that remind us what we received from Christ on the cross at Calvary.

Oh, the mercy of our Father Who loves us so much that He gave us His beloved one and only Son to take on our sins – the sins of all humanity – so that we can live with him forever and ever. Today we celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday. Saint Faustina wrote some beautiful words in her Diary about God’s mercy: “All grace flows from mercy . . . even if a person’s sins were as dark as night, God’s mercy is stronger than our misery. One thing alone is necessary: that the sinner set ajar the door of his heart, be it ever so little, to let in a ray of God’s merciful grace, and then God will do the rest.” (Diary of Saint Faustina)

If we open our hearts, just a little, even a tiny crack, God’s light (like those little chicks’ light in the incubator) can shine in and He can work marvels of transformation within us.

“Stay at Home” orders are no match for Jesus. Remember how afraid Jesus’ disciples were of the Jewish leaders and were huddled in fear behind locked doors? But….then Jesus came in. He could have had an agenda that included setting them straight. He could have started in a rant about their weaknesses and failures. He could have displayed His disappointment in their betrayal and denial of Him. His first words could have been, “Thanks…. for NOTHING! What were you thinking? Where were you when I needed you?” He had every right to unload His righteous indignation on them. But, no, His first words to them were “Peace be with you”. Isn’t that the way He continues to speak to us – in spite of our mistakes & failures? He loves us unconditionally and speaks “Peace be with you.” Yes, He is our "Divine Mercy" Jesus!

None of us need to be defined by our past because Divine Mercy is open to us all. Whether our sins are small or great, the mercy of God is available to all of us. The mercy of God is real! The mercy of God is His love! The mercy of God is the power of the resurrection still working today. You are not your past. Believe it! Embrace it! God’s Divine Mercy forgives, forgets and even forges the way to becoming all God destined for us in the first place. So, shouldn’t His example cause us to be His people of mercy, too — forgiving and loving others with mercy? Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy!

A Big Return on our Investment

It is Sunday morning. After a month-long Tour de Texas, it’s good to be back home again – “home” home, and to my church home. I hear: “You’re back!” “Welcome home, Donna!” “We missed you, Donna!” I love those words: “Welcome home!” Can we even fathom what those words meant to the prodigal son when His dad welcomed him home? I’m in MY pew and MY seat. Well, it’s not really mine, but I get here early enough to claim my territory! Second row, first seat, middle aisle where those of us who are honored and humbled to be communion servers stand. Easy to get to my place from here.

There is no place like home with my “church family”. We are the ones who team up in volunteering, serving, sharing, loving and praying. A common goal – to let our little lights shine here and out there. Wherever I go, God goes -- so, actually, everywhere I go is home sweet home. But, I see Him loud and clear in my church family. We walk hand-in-hand in some tough times and in the over-the-top good times. We are family. We’re a part of the Family of God – we’re brothers and sisters.

As I kneel for a few minutes, I exhale all the busyness of my life and I inhale the One Who got this whole “church” thing started in the first place. He wanted us to come together in one accord. He wanted us to bear one another’s burdens. He wanted us to be Him to our world. I sense my Lord here. In this place and in my heart. I know Him intimately. He knows even more about me – even those annoying fly-away hairs that I have to keep licking my fingers to make them stay down. I express gratitude, with all this journeying I do, for getting me safe and sound back here.

I look around. I see Him in the etched glass reaching His arms out to His disciples. I get chills just thinking He’s holding His arms out to me in the same way. After all – I, too, am one of His disciples. He says: “Follow Me!” And, I follow. I see Him in the stained glass above the altar – the hand of God symbolizing the Father, the Lamb symbolizing the Son, the Dove symbolizing the Holy Spirit. I’m familiar with the Trinity: the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I know them well – not as casual acquaintances but as MY never-failing, always-present, Holiest of Holy team.

Maybe you don’t have a church family – those who go toe-to-toe with you in good times and tough times; those who see you and come with a hearty hug for you. I have an investment in this place – my time, my talent and my treasure. The return on my investment is peace, joy, comfort, stability, hope, love and long-term (lifelong and beyond-term) pay-offs. Here’s my humble advice: If you want the best return on investment (ROI), there is nothing like investing in the Kingdom of God, investing in people. People will endure through time and eternity.

We don’t have a mission. God has a mission and has invited us to become part of His mission. We are the people to accomplish that mission. Someone said, “Keep the main thing the main thing.” The main thing is the mission of God. If you want real ROI, be a part of a team of people who make you better because their interests are beyond themselves. Their interests are Kingdom-based, people-based. Together we’re strong and stalwart with eyes on the prize. So, onward, Christian soldiers! Marching as to war, with the cross of Jesus going on before.

The Donkey -- Jesus' Limo

Happy Palm Sunday! Today, we celebrate our Lord's triumphant entrance into Jerusalem where He was welcomed by crowds praising and worshipping Him and laying down palm leaves to honor Him. The palms, the "hosanas", the worship and praise is typically our focus today.

But, I'd like to add some focus to the donkey -- he was Jesus' special "ride" into Jerusalem. That little donkey did what he could do. His greatest calling in life was to answer the invitation of the Master when He called, “I have need of him!” He was a “limo” for the King. He was only a donkey, but he did what he could do!

Isn’t that the way our “love” service should be for Him. When He says, “I have need of you”, our greatest response should be, “Here I am Lord, send me! I will do what I can do!” So I'll start with what I can do today -- praising, worshipping and declaring "Hosanna in the Highest -- all praise, honor and glory be to You, Lord Jesus Christ!"