“When Mercy Found Me”

I woke up today to my barking dog (thanks Oscar) at 6am, before my iHome was scheduled to play my waking-up music at 6:35am… and as I came into awareness, I realized I had been dreaming of some troublesome things, and all of these worries started popping into my awakened mind. So I couldn’t go back to sleep.

When things or people involve your children, it’s hard to NOT worry. I mean, be real. However… I am slowly learning (not perfectly) to turn my thoughts to GOD at those times, rather than fretting more, and He will calm me down (I may still go back to those worries in my human condition, but God understands and lovingly reminds me to turn back to thoughts of Him).

I started giving thanks to the great “I AM”. Because “HE IS”! He is all things. He is my comforter. He is my strength. He is my redeemer! He is my warrior. He is my “knight in shining armor.” He fights my battles for me. He is victorious. He is SO loving. He knows my name. He bends down like a sweet daddy to his daughter, and looks me in the eyes, and listens to me. He holds my hand. HE IS!! (that lesson also goes along with the Beth Moore study I am doing this fall, “The Beloved Disciple” – awesome – can’t say enough about that particular study and just how wonderful of a teacher Beth is!)

Anyway, I woke up with these burning worries. And I also woke up, knowing that TODAY is a very important day. It is the anniversary of my finally turning my entire life over to Jesus, after my stubbornness, after my trying to fill myself with the world, after hitting rock bottom. I knew about Christ and loved him my whole life, ever since I can remember. I was brought up as a believer. BUT I don’t know that I TRULY “believed” HIM or LET HIM be the one to fill my emptiness. I didn’t LET him be “I AM” (“HE IS”) to me fully. SO THIS IS A BIG DAY! It’s the day I turned my life back around and truly became His disciple, His follower, and sold out for Him. He has changed my life. (And no wonder satan wanted me to wake up worrying today of all days.)

SO… I woke up to THIS song playing! HOW appropriate!! I had to just cry. And praise. And say “THANK YOU GOD!”

And then when I came back to my worries, I remembered the following verses:

“NO weapon turned against you (or your family members) will succeed! You will silence every voice raised up to accuse you. These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the LORD; their vindication will come from me. I, the LORD, have spoken!” (Isaiah 54:17)

and also…

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Eph 6:12

and also…

(one my favorites): “The LORD himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.” Exodus 14:14

Thank you Heavenly Father that no problems of THIS world are that big, in the grand scheme of things, and all things go through your hands before they touch us. Everything happens for a reason. And YOU are there… guiding me, holding my hand, holding my kids’ hands… protecting us.

And thank you for RESCUING ME from the snake pit of self destruction!

Here are the song lyrics… also extremely special today to me:
“When Mercy Found Me”

“I can’t count the broken roads I’ve been down
But all I know
Something had to give
Something had to give

‘Cause living my life so wild and free
Finally caught up
Oh it left me broken, left me hopeless
But that’s where I met Jesus

And in one moment everything changed
Who I was got washed away
When mercy found me

My Savior’s arms were open wide
And I felt love for the very first time
When mercy found me
When mercy found me

All those days and all those doubts
They don’t seem to matter now
His grace is all I need
Oh, His grace is all I need

And the chains that I was in before
They don’t hold me anymore
His love has rescued me
Oh, His love has set me free

And in one moment everything changed
Who I was got washed away
When mercy found me

My Savior’s arms were open wide
And I felt love for the very first time
When mercy found me

My mind found peace
My soul found hope
My heart found a home

And in one moment everything changed
Who I was got washed away
When mercy found me

My Savior’s arms were open wide
And I felt love for the very first time
When mercy found me…”

I would love to hear your comments… what verses comfort you when you are worried?