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Thursday... Even when we are ignorant, he is merciful.


Thursday...  Even when we are ignorant, he is merciful.

Over in 1 Timothy 1:12-13 (NLT) the Apostle Paul writes, "I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength to do his work. He considered me trustworthy and appointed me to serve him, even though I used to blaspheme the name of Christ. In my insolence, I persecuted his people. But God had mercy on me because I did it in ignorance and unbelief." 

He goes on. In verses 15-16 he says, "This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: 'Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners' - and I am the worst of them all." Now we may feel that way in our ignorance about ourselves. He goes on, "But" That is such a great word. "But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners." We've checked off so many people, even ourselves, but God hasn't. He is so patient. Paul continues, "Then others will realize that they too, can believe in him and receive eternal life."

Did you need to hear that today? You may have checked off someone, even yourself as a lost cause. We would have said that Paul was a lost cause but God didn't. He saw him as a prime example who was ignorant, who didn't believe in the right thing, who was doing what he thought was right but God saw him as a prime example of what Christ can do in someone's hopeless life.  

Paul writes, "He considered me trustworthy and appointed me to serve him, even though I used to blaspheme the name of Christ. In my insolence, I persecuted his people." I'm sure I would have checked him off. But God didn't and He doesn't today because he is patient and merciful. 

Here is the key, the latter part of verse 13 says, "But God had mercy on me because I did it in ignorance and unbelief." Ignorance is not the only problem here, so is unbelief. The last part of verse 16 says, "Then others will realize that they too, can believe in him and receive eternal life." We must believe in him. Yes, Paul was ignorant but he also believed in the wrong thing. We must realize they we too can believe in him and receive eternal life.

Paul then says in verse 17, "All honor and glory to God forever and forever! He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies, he alone is God. Amen." His patience and mercy will last forever. And we too can reap the benefit of that fact by believing that we are not a lost cause but that "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners", to save us and we just need to reach out to him and believe in him and we too will live forever and forever.

We don't need to be ignorant any more. Verses 13-14 says, "But God had mercy on me because I did it in ignorance and unbelief. Oh how generous and gracious our Lord was! He filled me with the faith and love that comes from Christ Jesus." Now that is Good News! Yes, yes! #todaysbeginning


 

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