One of Those Days

Have you ever had one of those days where nothing went right? When every decision you make seems to be the wrong one? When you just can't seem to please anyone, let alone anyone? When you crawl into bed at the end of the day and wonder why you got up? It's been one of those days, actually it's been one of those weeks.
And while talking with a girlfriend yesterday ( I love you Courtney Joe!) I remembered a passage that I used to turn to when those days came.
Nehemiah 9. In this passage you will find the story of the Israelites. The crew from the old testament in the Bible that seemed to mess up everytime God tried to hand them something good. In this passage they are gathered together and the Levites begin calling out to God. What follows is my FAVORITE passage in the entire Bible. I'll let you read it yourself, for it's powerful. They basically confess that they disobeyed God, blatantly didn't do what He asked. And hardship followed. And in spite of that he continued to pour down his blessings. He continued to provide for them. "You came...you spoike..you gave...you made...you gave...you told...BUT they, our forefathers, became arrogant and stiff necked and did not obey your commands....But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. Therefore you did not desert them...you did not abandon them..." On and on this story goes, it's like hittig copy paste on that section above. They continued to disobey, and He continued to stick by them. He forgave, protect, provide.
The reason I love this passage, the reason I love studying the Israelites is that this is the running theme in their story. The absolute relentless pursuit of us by God.
There isn't a day,or week, no matter how badly we mess up that can make God give up on us. We won't stop loving us, He refuses to. I have those moments when the shame is so bad, making same mistakes over and over where it's almost embarrassing to go to Him AGAIN and ask for forgiveness. Like I'm expecting him to be like "Seriously!? YOu haven't learned this lesson YET?!" But He doesn't. He's always there with open arms, waiting for us.
Hebrews 4:16 says "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." I love this wording. "Receive" mercy. I read that and it makes me think that we receive it, because at the end of one of those weeks, we ask and receive. But "find grace" - it's like who, at the end of all that, would have the audacity to ask for his grace. Isn't mercy enough? We have the audacity to ask for his forgiveness AND blessings?
The forgiveness He gives...it's merciful! The relentless pursuit of our hearts...it's grace. Sweet amazing grace.