So it’s been QUITE a while since I’ve written a new post. It has been one CRAZY semester, and a few tough months for me spiritually. I neglected everything, my spiritual rule, worship, any form of communication with God other than, “please God don’t let me fail this test.” It’s been too long since I last opened my Bible, too long since the last praise I have given to the Lord.
The last few days I’ve been on vacation with my cousins, some wonderful people I haven’t seen in way too long, and they reminded me of something. No matter how long it’s been, it hasn’t been long enough for God to forget about you. That’s the beauty of God’s mercy and His grace. I went on a retreat last weekend, and we had a great speaker, Chris, who told us the definitions of mercy and grace, two definitions I never actually understood. Mercy is not getting what we deserve and grace is getting that which we don’t deserve. I deserve to be cast off, forgotten by God, and I by no means deserve for Him to take me back, and yet, because He is good, He says, “no worries, I’ve still got your back.” If this wasn’t enough, I was reading John today, and God told me exactly the same thing: “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out” (John 6:37).
Guys, I’m living proof that no matter how many times we stray, and no matter how long, God will not turn His back on us. I hope that I — and those of you in the same boat as me — can take advantage of this and return to God with all my being.
God bless,
Marina
St. Mark's Quiet Time 