God’s grace and His mercy are two elements of His character that work together and are very important in all of our lives. God’s grace may be defined as the free and unmerited or undeserved favor of God. A good working definition of God’s grace is that it is God’s unmerited favor. It is demonstrated when we receive something from God that we do not deserve, such as salvation. His grace towards us is not based upon anything that we have done or deserve. His grace is His gift to humanity simply because of who He is, because of His love for us, and because He chose to bestow it upon us. Because of the grace of God, we have an opportunity to be saved and delivered from Hell.
Eph. 2:8-9 tells us: 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
Titus 2:11 says 11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
God’s mercy relates to withholding punishment for what we deserve. The word “mercy” derives from the medieval Latin Merced or merces, which means “price paid.” His mercy is the compassion and kindness shown towards humanity when it is in His power to punish or harm. It is an act meant to relieve someone of their suffering. When Jesus died on Calvary’s hill, He paid the price for our sins. Where, oh where, would humanity be without the grace and the mercy of God?
Ephesians 2:4-5 tells us:
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
This post is written to remember a wonderful older gentleman that my husband and I ministered to in a Nursing Home a few years ago. God’s grace and his mercy were exemplified in the life of the patient that I will call Mr. C. Our Wednesday services were held in the facility’s chapel, and our method of ministering was structured like most church services. We opened with prayer, gave our testimonies, sang a couple of songs, preached a message, made an altar call, then closed out with prayer. On the afternoon in question, however, Mr. C changed our order of service.
Mr. C started by asking fundamental questions about church structure. He asked questions like, “what exactly is an elder?” When we answered that question, he would ask another question that had nothing to do with our plans for the day. Finally, when we realized that he was determined to get his questions answered, regardless of our structure, we ditched our plans and began to minister to him one-on-one. Ultimately, he wanted to know if salvation was real and what the Holy Ghost was all about. We were excited by this time because it was evident that Mr. C’s questions were intentional and that he wanted to be saved. Within a very few minutes, we were able to lead Mr. C. through the sinner’s prayer, and before we left, about an hour later, Mr. C was saved, sanctified, and filled with the Holy Ghost, speaking in other tongues as the Spirit of God gives utterance. The Holy Ghost fell upon him just as it did in Acts 10:44-46.
“While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God . . .”
Mr. C. was so excited and full of joy that he was on his way to Heaven, and so were we.
This ministerial session took place with Mr. C on a Wednesday. That following Friday we received a call from the Nursing Home administrator who said that Mr. C had been admitted to the ICU of a local hospital, only two days after he was saved. As ministers, we visited Mr. C. in the ICU and prayed with him, although Mr. C. was unresponsive. On the following Monday, we were informed that Mr. C had passed away and had transitioned into Heaven. He died just a few days after he was saved and filled with the Holy Ghost! God knew that Mr. C was being called into eternity and His Mercy and His Grace rescued him just in the nick of time. My husband and I glorified and honored God for how He blessed Mr. C. What a clear example of God’s amazing grace and His matchless mercy.
2 Peter 3:9 tells us that:
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
Mr. C. reached out to God and he received His amazing grace and matchless mercy. Will you do the same? His grace and mercy are available to you if you will receive them.
Let us pray: Dear Heavenly Father, thank you, oh God, for Your grace and Your mercy. I pray that those who read the words of this post will open their hearts to Your free gift of salvation so that they will not be held accountable for their sins. Jesus paid it all. 2 Timothy 1: 9 says Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, Amen.
