Deliberately Living Mercy
The bumps and bruises,
it’s not them that destroy
the five minutes, the hour
the daily, the life.
The swelling, the soreness
of a baseball pitch catching
and batter’s eye,
or someone you thought
was a team-mate injuring
your heart
No, it’s not the bumps and bruises
that destroy the joy, assurance,
the calm in the placement
of ourselves in our family, our friendships,
our teams, and relationships.
It is lack.
Lack, not from others
of kindness, thoughtfulness,
inclusion or exclusion.
It’s the lack of looking to
Jesus Christ
Son of God
and asking Him to have mercy
on me a sinner
Have mercy on me
a sinner sinking slowly from
hurt into offense,
Have mercy on me; help me choose
deliberate forgiveness followed by
unconditional love that heals
the bumps and bruises,
the swelling, the soreness
to fill those spaces
with God’s deliberate grace.
Won’t you join me over at Kate’s Place for 5 Minute Friday? Sit down, pull over a cup of Orchard Vanilla tea, maybe some figs with honey, and see what everybody else is writing about the word . . . “Deliberate.” Maybe you can join in – it’s just 5 minutes. Maybe you just want to have some writing fun – or maybe you need to write something out to help your heart. I’ve missed this community. I’m glad life is making room for it.
Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy
(Lord have mercy, echoes choir).
It’s messed up, my friends desert me
and I feel the sulphur-fire.
Lord have patience, wait a bit,
I really truly got this down,
and I swear I ain’t gonna quit
’cause I can’t bear to see You frown.
Lord, pretend You did not see
all the ways I failed today.
It’s just in my fam’ly tree,
and I have to find a way
to tie up these ends so loose
that I need offer no excuse.
I am so glad the Lord does have the patience, the mercy, and that He ties up those loose ends! I’m blessed today that you left your poetry here, Andrew! Shalom!
Love this! Thank you.
So glad! Shalom!
Yes! May we deliberately turn to God and He will deliberately fill our spaces with His deliberate grace!
In the deliberate, we remember! Thanks for coming by Joanne!
A beautiful reminder, Maryleigh, to look up to Him from whom our help comes!
Beautiful poem.
This is beautiful, Maryleigh.Such a lovely encouraging poem dear friend.
Visiting today from FMF#14
I love this, Maryleigh. What a great reminder to choose forgiveness and mercy, and that we need mercy to even do that.
Kath, your FMF neighbour at #6 this week.
There’s something so positive and focused about doing life and faith and love deliberately. Not on automatic pilot or half-heartedly. Thank you for this food for thought, friend … a rich feast indeed.
Lovely poem Maryleigh and an important reminder to keep our hearts deliberately tuned in to God’s heart, thoughts and ways and not defiled by our own. Thank you. Blessings, Dawn #20
Your plea for compassion and your desire to choose conscious forgiveness and unconditional love resonate deeply. It’s a powerful reminder that healing and filling those spaces with God’s intentional grace can help mend the pain, offense, and swelling we may experience.
I truly appreciate your vulnerability and the way you’ve expressed these profound thoughts. May your journey towards conscious forgiveness and embracing God’s grace be filled with compassion, understanding, and profound growth.
With gratitude,
Aritha