A young co-worker asked me, “What is the difference between grace and mercy?” An immediate answer didn’t come to mind so I resorted to humor and replied, “Grace works on the first shift and Mercy works on the second.” Laughter and chuckles came from those within earshot because we have two ladies with those names working with us.

Later, her question came back to mind, which gave pause for me to consider the real answer. I thought about God’s grace, the free and unmerited favor that He has shown towards us as a gift. And I thought about God’s mercy, His compassionate forbearance toward us showing Him kind and forgiving, even though we deserve punishment. Surely our heavenly Father is the finest example of grace and mercy.

As I considered how grace and mercy work together, I remembered a famous event from the battlefields of World War I. It was Christmas Eve 1914, on the western front, where British and German forces faced each other in fierce fighting. The following is an excerpt from a letter written by a British soldier who was present on that night.

“I never hope to see a stranger and more lovely sight. Clusters of tiny lights were shining all along the German line, left and right as far as the eye could see.

“What is it?” I asked in bewilderment, and John answered, “Christmas trees!”

And so it was. The Germans had placed Christmas trees in front of their trenches, lit by candle or lantern like beacons of good will. And then we heard their voices raised in song.

Stille nacht, heilige nacht . . . .

This carol may not yet be familiar to us in Britain, but John knew it and translated: “Silent night, holy night.” I’ve never heard one lovelier—or more meaningful, in that quiet, clear night, its dark softened by a first-quarter moon.

When the song finished, the men in our trenches applauded. Yes, British soldiers applauding Germans! Then one of our own men started singing, and we all joined in.

The first Nowell, the angel did say . . . .

In truth, we sounded not nearly as good as the Germans, with their fine harmonies. But they responded with enthusiastic applause of their own and then began another.

O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum . . . .

Then we replied. O come all ye faithful . . . .

But this time they joined in, singing the same words in Latin.

Adeste fideles . . . .

British and German harmonizing across No Man’s Land! I would have thought nothing could be more amazing—but what came next was more so.

“We’ve agreed there will be no shooting before midnight tomorrow,” he announced. In minutes more, there we were in No Man’s Land, over a hundred soldiers and officers of each side, shaking hands with men we’d been trying to kill just hours earlier!

Even those who could not converse could still exchange gifts—our tea for their coffee, our corned beef for their sausage. I myself traded a jackknife for a leather equipment belt—a fine souvenir to show when I get home.

As it grew late, a few more songs were traded around the fire, and then all joined in for—I am not lying to you—“Auld Lang Syne.” Then we parted with promises to meet again tomorrow, and even some talk of a football match.”

Reflecting upon this Christmas miracle I ask myself, what could cause two opposing armies, fighting to the death, to lay down their arms and embrace each other as friends? Only grace and mercy. The same grace and mercy that first entered men’s hearts on another night more than two thousand years ago.

On that night, an Angel announced to the world through a tiny band of shepherds, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14KJV).

Those same shepherds found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. As their weary eyes beheld Him, they witnessed the embodiment of God’s grace and mercy made flesh, and living among them, Christ Jesus!

May we follow the example of our heavenly Father, and like those British and German soldiers in the icy war-torn Belgium countryside, extend grace and mercy to all whose path we may cross. Merry Christmas!

Grace and Mercy

By: Author, Peter Hoytema, reframemedia.com

Earle brushed a tear from his eye, leaned forward in the saddle, and gave his horse, Cooper, his

full rein.

“Find ‘er!”

Cooper sensed Earle’s urgency and broke into a lope.

He spotted the ewe only because Cooper dodged her, prancing with high steps.

“Come ‘ere, lady!” Earle said, gliding out of the saddle. He brushed snow from the ewe’s woolen curls.

The ewe lifted her head but otherwise remained motionless.

Earle reached into Cooper’s saddlebag and grasped an alfalfa cube and a handful of molasses-strapped oats. “I got yer favorite treat ‘ere.” Earle pressed the alfalfa cube to the ewe’s nose.

She refused it.

“How ‘bout some oats?”

The ewe roused and nibbled on a few grains.

“Let’s go home,” Earle said.

The ewe placed her muzzle in Earle’s hand, and they inched forward.

Soon, she toppled.

Earle fell to his knees, “Father God, what’s my next step?” He fought panic and listened for the still small voice of the Lord within his conscience.

An idea came to him.  Earle loosened Cooper’s girth, removed the saddle-pad, and placed the ewe on this makeshift sleigh. He fashioned an improvised harness from Cooper’s bridle and some rope. He attached this ensemble to the girth and reattached it.

Earle clucked to Cooper. It was then he realized he was lost. He couldn’t see the outcroppings to center him; all he could see of the blurred landscape was snow! He tried to track their direction, but their footprints were erased. He couldn’t even see the horizon.

Earle pulled the ewe into his bosom. “I’ll get ya home somehow, love. You’ll bed down in my own cabin tonight.” He motioned for his horse to go forward.

Cooper hesitated.

“Go on, boy. Find home.”

Cooper zig-zagged across the landscape, confused.

Earle tugged on the sled; Cooper halted.

“Lord, we need Your help! You led Your people in all circumstances and at all times. Lead me.”

“And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and by night. He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, or the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.” Exodus 13:21-22 (KJV)

Earle took his gloves off and slipped them onto the ewe’s hooves. “It ain’t much, lil’ lady, but ye need spoilin’ more than myself.” He felt her abdomen. “Hold off there, love! I’ll get you home.”

Earle searched the landscape. Suddenly, he realized he had an unexpected clue he could use to determine which direction to travel. He could smell the wood burning in his fireplace. “Thank You, Lord!” Earle said. He followed the scent, and step by step led the convoy forward.

At last, Earle spotted embers rising from the chimney. “Thank You, Lord! For You, ‘the true Light,’ (John 1:9 KJV) have guided me home.”

Earle opened the cabin door and led Cooper inside. He stoked the fireplace and laughed at the sight of his horse and ewe residing inside his home. Tears streamed freely, for as he bedded the ewe, still upon the saddle-pad, she gave birth to a perfect lamb.

Earle knew that as Moses relied on the Guiding Light, so must he.

And so must we.

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

Several weeks ago, I traveled to New Mexico to teach at a Christian writers’ conference. As is often the case, I met some interesting people along the way. Some were chatty; others weren’t. On one leg of my flight, I talked to my seatmate, sharing a little of the challenges our family faced last year and my thankfulness despite circumstances. She swiveled toward me and said, “Wait a minute. Both your mother and mother-in-law died, and your son had a severe injury and two major surgeries. How can you be thankful for any of that?”

Many times gratitude doesn’t make sense to those unfamiliar with the habit of cultivating a thankful heart. Based on the story of the ten lepers in Luke 17, we can assume probably only a tenth of us make an effort to express gratitude, since just one of the ten returned to thank Jesus for his healing. So, is it reasonable to be thankful even when things are difficult? On the surface, no, but I believe we can train ourselves to be grateful even when waves of adversity and challenge crash over us.

Although last year is one I gladly consigned to history at year end, now that I am beyond the immediacy of crises, I more readily understand the reasons to praise God even in challenging times. The Bible tells us to give thanks in all circumstances, not just when things are going well. Here are some reasons we can do that:

God is our hope – Job experienced heartache, adversity, acute physical pain and mental anguish, but despite all he endured he could still say,

“Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him” (Job 13:15 KJV).

Trusting God to work out the details of what we’re going through is probably one of the biggest challenges of our Christian walk. We fool ourselves into believing we have control over our lives with all our planning, but difficulties are less stressful when we relinquish our efforts and acknowledge that God is in control.

We have the assurance of God’s love and salvation – Romans 8:39 reminds us that no matter what we go through, nothing can separate us from God’s love. If we’ve trusted Christ as Savior, our salvation and eternity is secure. This promise is balm for the soul when doubts and fears overwhelm.

Hardship lasts only for a season – When we’re going through something really hard, at the time, it’s difficult to imagine things will ever improve. And Satan considers these seasons an opportune time to whisper lies like “a loving God wouldn’t allow this in your life” or “God doesn’t care about you because he’s not coming to your rescue.” Don’t believe Satan’s falsehoods. God cares. He sees. He knows. And this season in your life will end. “To everything there is a season, and a time for every matter or purpose under heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1 AMP).

Being a Christian doesn’t exempt us from challenge. In fact, Jesus told us we’d have trouble in this world. Yet we’re often angry and surprised when we encounter hardships. Just remember, we have the ultimate victory because of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. For this reason, we can give thanks despite struggles.

I watched a film recently that began with the quote: “Everything is a gift from the universe.” Non-believers can grasp at straws when it comes to acknowledging higher powers, but as Christians, we know God through a relationship with Jesus Christ. So when that quote was lingering in my mind long after the movie was over, I got to thinking about God as the ultimate gift-giver and how different those gifts look when we know what they are and where they came from.

We commonly think of gifts when it comes to birthdays and special occasions. If we were to make a list, it might include the car in the driveway with the giant red bow on it, the diamond tennis bracelet, or even a greeting card full of cash. Who doesn’t like a tangible display of affection, especially if it was a little expensive? I can tell you one person who doesn’t … a small Southern woman I happen to know and love.

My mother was the first one who got me out of thinking like a material girl every time a gift-giving holiday came around. For her birthday, she would write a short wish list. One item on her list was volunteering to make dinner. Another was giving her a hug every morning before we left for school. It was the simple things that she treasured and it taught us the things with the greatest value are often without a price tag.

When you think along those lines, the idea of God being the giver of gifts isn’t too far-fetched. And it goes beyond the big-ticket items of life like getting married or having children. If you count the small things, you are surrounded by presents every day.

One day, from morning until night, I’d like you to count your blessings. Carry around a little notepad and write them all down. For example, today, I woke up gently without an alarm in my warm, fluffy Queen-sized bed. That’s one. My breakfast of almond crepes with lemon curd turned out perfectly tasty. That’s one. A wise, wonderful friend came over for coffee later on in the morning. That’s three blessings in the first hour and I hadn’t even left the house yet.

You see where I’m going with this? If you note every moment of happiness placed in your life, you’ll see that you unwittingly unwrap hundreds of gifts throughout your day.

King Solomon understood rejoicing in the little things. Sure, he had a vast kingdom with more toys to play with than anyone could enjoy in two lifetimes; however, he was quick to note that it was all “vanity” (Ecc. 1:2). If anything, he found joy in much of what anyone can indulge.

So I think we should get as much out of life as we possibly can. There is nothing better than to enjoy our food and drink and to have a good time. (Ecc. 8:15a, CEV)

Be happy and enjoy eating and drinking! God decided long ago that this is what you should do. Dress up, comb your hair, and look your best. Life is short, and you love your wife, so enjoy being with her. This is what you are supposed to do as you struggle through life on this earth. (Ecc. 9:7-10)

Part of the fall of man is a predisposition to focus on the negative, and let’s be real, there’s plenty of that to go around. One bad minute can ruin your whole day. But what would it look like if we collected all the good and see how it outweighs the bad? Just the little things. If you need inspiration, think of the character, Maria, from The Sound of Music. When trying to cheer up the frightened von Trapp children during a storm, she sings about her favorite things that include raindrops on roses and warm woolen mittens. It’s cheesy as musicals are supposed to be, but the point of the song is finding joy in simplicity.

Everything is a gift from God, and knowing that He loves us this much leads us to nothing less than gratitude and deep devotion.

By: Chris Palmer, Author,  1.cbn.com

To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God. (Revelation 2:7 ESV)

You could have gotten away with it! If you’ve heard that thought, you’ve been smacked in the face by the devil. Satan is suggesting that sin isn’t always a bad idea—because no one will know. But in Revelation 2:7, Jesus told the Ephesians that His rewards are not based on what we get away with; they are based on overcoming wickedness. This is observed in the words “the one who conquers” (tō nikōnti). They stress ongoing action. 1 John 5:4 also mentions this ongoing conquering:

“For everyone who has been born of God overcomes [conquers] the world.” (ESV)

It doesn’t mean to conquer once; it means day-to-day conquering for a lifetime, being resolute in the face of Satan’s enticements.

I learned what resolute means when I watched my friend do the Keto diet while we were in Israel. The days started at the buffet. On day one, I piled pancakes on my plate. He loaded his plate with crisp greens, bacon, and eggs. By 9:30 a.m., I was exhausted. Walking around was more difficult than convincing flat-earth conspirators the planet is round. “It’s those carbs you stuffed your face with this morning,” my friend said. So I decided to go on the Keto diet, too.

Day two was vegetables and bacon. I was zipping around the holy land like a dog at the beach. Then day three came. I was in the buffet line … and there was French toast. My Keto diet lasted 23 hours and 32 minutes. I dared my friend to have some, but he had conquered his desire for carbs.

The verb “conquer” (nikaō) comes from Nike, the Greek goddess who personified victory. It means a “crushing victory,” the kind that God wants His people to consistently have over sin.

In Revelation 2:7, Christ gives those who consistently conquer sin the promise of eating from the tree of life in God’s paradise. The word paradise (paradeisos) referred to the enchanting gardens of Persian monarchs, which contained luscious fruits of all kinds. In this verse, it describes eternal serenity in the presence of God, with every holy delight.

Eating from the tree of life represents experiencing life how God intended before the fall. It isn’t yanking off a hard apple from grandma’s tree. Imagine approaching a sweet sapling, its fruit so succulent that a shake of the stem sends one sailing into your palm. Its juices seep from the skin and your fingers become sticky from the syrup. It tastes like a better world. It’s joy under the reign of the Messiah, who puts flavor back into living. It’s also the reward for the conquerors who remain resolute in the face of sin.

God has given us an invitation to His garden. Every stand against temptation is an RSVP to be there.

Dear Lord, thank You for victory over sin. A delightful eternity with You outweighs the fleeting pleasures of carnal gratification. I’m not looking to get away with anything. Instead, I’m RSVP’ing to be with You in paradise.