After decades of dog rescue work, as I write this book I am down to my last two special needs ministry dogs. I had 19 at one time! I didn’t choose who would live the longest nor who would be adopted out and who would remain with me. God did! I have done my best to pray and follow Him! A friend pointed out to me the names of my last remaining dogs. Miss Mercy and Grace. Yes, that’s right. Mercy and Grace!
I love to tell people when I do streets and beach ministry my dogs’ names. I say this. “Their names are Miss Mercy like “Lord have mercy.” And Grace like “God’s grace.” Praising God forever would still be insufficient given all the reasons God is worthy of our praise and Thanksgiving, and some of these reasons stand out to me more than others. Like His love, His mercy, and His grace!
Some say grace is “undeserved favor”. I am not an expert in definitions, but I can say this. I am blown away by the enormity of His grace that He would give everlasting life to all who turn from our sins, believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and in His death and resurrection, truly turning our lives over to God and His ways. We could never ever earn God’s love, grace, and everlasting life with Him. Nonetheless He gives it to us by His grace through faith in and our lives being devoted to the Lord Jesus Christ. How could we ever thank the Lord enough for His astonishingly wonderfully blessed beautiful glorious grace?
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:8-10 KJV