Mercy

This morning as I groggily stumbled into the kitchen to get my coffee after the alarm went off, I heard a gurgling sound. My immediate thought was that Dan must have turned on my coffee before he left for work and it was running into the carafe, but that didn't make sense because he left about 45 minutes prior to my alarm going off. It then occurred to me that the sound I was hearing was actually rain running down the breakfast room window. Now, if you're not from Texas this might sound a little strange, but we have been in the midst of a drought. The last time we've awakened to rain like this at my house was probably in March. If you travel to central Texas, they are in a severe drought unlike anything that has been recorded since the 1950's. The land is parched.

So when I saw that it was indeed raining (and, in fact, it has rained all day) I whispered a prayer of thanksgiving for the water falling on my thirsty yard and the mercy that God displays toward those of us with thirsty, parched souls who look to Him for refreshment. Jesus said "Everyone who drinks of this water shall thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life."

Thank you Lord for being merciful to our parched land, but more importantly thank you for the mercy that you display to thirsty souls who drink the Living Water.

Seek the Lord while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near.

Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to the Lord, and He will have compassion on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.

For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there without watering the earth, and making it bear and sprout, and furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; so shall My word be which goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it. For you will go out with joy; and be led forth with peace...

Psalm 55:6-7;10-12