God's Mercy

Going into a new year, we don't need another list of resolutions to earn a better life — we need to rest in the grace already given us in Christ. Because we were spiritually dead, not just weak, no amount of goodness could earn us life, but God made us alive together with Christ and calls us His masterpiece, free to respond to His love rather than strive for His approval.

God's very first instinct toward us is love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness, not condemnation. Because Jesus has canceled a debt we could never repay ourselves, He calls His followers not merely to forgive occasionally, but to be forgiving people — releasing our hurts to Him rather than staying chained to the past.