Pleasant Stone Devotional Meditation: March 20

"Hear me, O LORD; for thy lovingkindness is good: turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies." ~ Psalm 69:16

When God begins to move within a human life, even in the midst of rebellion and the natural fears of leaving the old and embarking upon the new, all around us (if no human being is "pushing") is the strangely certain feeling that a great kindness is drawing near. And the nearer that kindness comes, the more we are drawn toward the One who is all kindness. I [Eugenia Price, the author] felt this during the days just before I let my last defenses shatter. I knew this kindness even before I knew Christ as my own Saviour. Of course, He was already the Saviour. And the same loving-kindness which held Him to the Cross, was holding my attention in those last trembling bitter-sweet moments before He invaded my life with His own. I know this "loving-kindness." And I know that it is good. So do you, if he is your personal Saviour. And it is with an overwhelming sense of relief that I look into the depths of this "red stone" and see more of His heart. See more of His intention toward us. Here, He gives us permission to ask Him to "turn into" us according to this very same "lovingkindness." We are to seek comfort and help and forgiveness and strength and wisdom --- not according to our merits, but according to His loving-kindness. According to the "multitude of thy tender mercies." Not even according to my need. But according to His mercy. And this God came down here to live among men so that He would have the added entree into our hearts of identification with us in our every need. If you have suffered a certain heartache, you are more merciful to another who is suffering that same pain. God's mercy was not increased when Jesus came to earth, it was illustrated! Illustrated in a way we can understand. Jesus knows.

"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us ..."