Civil War

So often we get mercy and grace mixed up, this week I came across this article which truly explains the difference.  It was reported in Isaac Asimov’s Book of Facts that following the Civil War, Jefferson Davis was captured and indicted for treason. Though many Northerners called for Davis’ execution, one group petitioned for his release. The group? The former slaves from Davis’ cotton plantation. Following a two-year imprisonment, Davis was freed, having avoided a trial.  In the story from the Civil War, we see both grace and mercy at work on Davis’ behalf, being extended by his former slaves. A basic explanation of the concepts of mercy and grace is as follows: Grace is receiving something beneficial that we don’t deserve and mercy is not receiving some negative consequence for what we do deserve. Whether these former slaves were followers of Christ or not we don’t know, but they demonstrated the same kind of mercy and grace that God has displayed toward us through Christ Jesus — and the same kind of grace that we need to extend to others. Through our own sin, we deserve the wrath of God. Through the mercy and grace demonstrated on our behalf through Jesus’ death and resurrection, we have been forgiven and freed from the penalty of sin — and beyond that — we have received the great blessings of being adopted into the family of God. In return, God asks us to extend mercy and grace to others (see Matthew 6:14-15).  This week I ask that we look to extend mercy and grace to those we come in contact with.  Hope everyone has a blessed week. Todd