A Wildflower Morning

 "Count the mercies! count the mercies!        Number all the gifts of love;      Keep a daily, faithful record        Of the comforts from above.      Look at all the lovely green spots        In life's weary desert way;      Think how many cooling fountains        Cheer our fainting hearts each day.      Count the mercies! count the mercies!        See them strewn along our way!     "Count the mercies, though the trials        Seem to number more each day,      Count the trials, too, as mercies,        Add them to the grand array.      Trials are God's richest blessings,        Sent to prompt our upward flight      As the eaglet's nest--all broken,        Makes them fly to loftier heights.      Count the mercies! count the mercies!        That bring heaven within our sight.     "Let us number all our jewels,        Let us estimate their worth;      Let us thank the gracious Giver,        Strewing blessings o'er the earth;    

  I've wondered before why Jesus would put a crown on our heads when we get to heaven.  I don't wear jewelry here, or showy stuff.  It seems uncomfortable and heavy to me.  I've never wanted to be a showy queen or princess.  If Jesus wanted to give it to me, I've been willing to accept it, but I've never wanted a crown myself. This morning when I was praying and contemplating the death of Christ and what it means to me, I had a new thought about crowns.  At the cross, Jesus took our sins upon himself, and died because of them.  It was my sins that killed him.  At the cross He gave me His life.  I accept His gift.  I am not worthy of that gift.  He did not give it to me because I have done great things, or even because I have done some good things.  He gave me His life, because of His great love, and because of my great need.  Without it, I would perish.  And that would break His heart, because He loves me.  At the cross we are given the life of the Son of the livin

We are children of the most Amazing, Awesome God.  He doesn't work on the exchange system, where He pays us for our work, or rewards us for how good we are.  He instead gives us salvation, not because we earned it, but because He loves us and loves to give good things to His children.  Our righteousness comes by faith in our Savior, not because of any amount of any good works we may do.   It's not because we are awesome that HE rewards us (gives us salvation), it is because He is AWESOME! -The most important part of a sermon I heard last week by David Asserick