Every Friday I join a community of bloggers for Five Minute Friday. One word prompt, five minutes. Unedited. The prompt this week is … Deserve.

Interesting word, deserve. It means to merit, to be qualified for, or to have earned a reward.

Looking at my life, I ask: What have I deserved?

In asking that question of myself, my mind goes to the Pharisee and the tax collector who go to the Temple to pray. They both have jobs, they both have come to pray.

The Pharisee sees himself as deserving – he does not cheat, lie, steal, or do other sins. The tax collector sees himself as a sinner and has come asking God to be merciful to him. He sees himself as undeserving.

Jesus commends the tax collector, aka – the sinner, telling us he was the one forgiven.

What have I deserved?

Nothing.

Anything I have received and enjoyed and been blessed with in this life is solely because of the grace and mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ.

“The Lord is compassionate and merciful,
    slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.
He will not constantly accuse us,
    nor remain angry forever.
^ He does not punish us for all our sins;
    he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve.
For his unfailing love toward those who fear him
    is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.”

(Psalm 103:8-11, NLT)

Jesus came for the tax collector, the sinner. He came for me, and He has given me what I did not deserve – His forgiveness, grace, and mercy. And more.

Photo by Bradley Prentice on Unsplash
Today I am joining … Five Minute Friday and Faith On Fire and Grace & Truth .