Two-minute read.
One of my favorite breathing techniques for calming the mind and soul starts with a deep inhale. I count to four slowly as I inhale, then pause for two. Slowly, I exhale to the count of six. Doing several deep breaths in a row, I focus my thoughts on the Savior.
As I breathe in, I imagine inhaling the Lord’s grace and goodness.
When I exhale, I visualize letting go of the negative and unproductive.
In the pastor’s message on Sunday, he used an analogy I had never heard before to describe grace: God’s Riches at Christ’s Expense.
We receive grace because of Jesus. Each morning, we get fresh mercies from the Savior that allow us to start anew. The Lord only gives us enough grace for the day ahead. We don’t face today with leftovers, but with fresh evidence of His compassion and another opportunity to trust Him.
When Jeremiah wrote these words, Christ hadn’t come to earth. The nation experienced deep national grief and devastation following the destruction of Jerusalem. But in the middle of that grief, he pauses and remembers something unchanging: God’s character.
From the start of creation, the Lord’s redemptive plan unfolded. He gave the Israelites fresh mercies every morning. As the Old Testament unfolds, God points to our need for a Savior, and at the appointed time, Jesus came to earth and fulfilled His mission. Simple faith in Him gives us access to the Lord’s grace, and each morning, He gives us new mercies.
In my latest episode of repentance, I confessed my misdeed to the Lord. “Why do I do these things I don’t want to do?” I wrote in my journal. Ron reminded me that Paul had written the same words in Romans, confessing that he did what he didn’t want to do.
But through Jesus, I received forgiveness.
As did Paul.
As do you.
Every morning, when we awake, through Christ, we have access to God’s faithful grace and mercy. We can lay our sins at the foot of the cross and try to do better.
Breathe in God’s mercies. Breathe out the negative. Let the Lord’s cleansing breath remind you of His grace and mercy that arrive fresh each morning.
Journal Questions:
- Where do you need to remember that God’s love and mercy have not run out, even if your current circumstances feel difficult?
- What would it look like for you to receive God’s mercy as something fresh for today rather than carrying yesterday’s failures, regrets, or worries into this new day?
- When you look back over your life, where can you see evidence of God’s faithfulness that can give you hope for what you are facing today?
Application:
Take deep breaths and imagine God filling you with His grace.
