Traveling Mercies - Barcelona

The End of Barcelona

Yesterday, we left Barcelona. Sadness. I definitely believe that is a place that I could spend more time in. Did we do everything there was to do? Not even close. Many things on our itinerary bit the dust, but we did do a tour of Montserrat. We visited the Basilica there and listened to a famous boys’ choir. But honestly, there were SO many people in there, and so many egregious smells, that I had to make a mad dash for the exit. Like “Lord, GET ME OUTTA HERE.” I barely made it. Breathing in that crisp mountain air after escaping that church was simply…divine.

 

I wanted to see the Black Madonna of Montserrat, but the line was prohibitive. So, I went to see a cross atop a hill. I assume it is famous.  

After leaving the “serrated mountain” we drove to a small cava winery in the countryside, and saw how cava was made. We went down into the caves!  We learned about how the wine bottle has to be rotated 1/8 to the right and tilted slowly up every day for 21 days, to make the yeast gather in the neck of the wine bottle. Then they freeze the neck. Shoot out the yeast, and voila! Clean cava.

Despite the above use of exclamation points, I cared very little  I cared about the cava tasting, which was quite generous. I bought the cheapest bottle of Cava available and we were on our way. 

about this.

After the tour, we had dinner at Hisop, a Michelin-starred restaurant that was mediocre at best. The best/worst thing that happened was me thinking I ordered a glass of cava when—in fact—I ordered a bottle. I did the best I could not to be wasteful. 

And then yesterday we hung out in a labyrinth. It was pretty gorgeous. 

Traveling Mercies

For those who may not know, traveling mercies are basically prayers for blessings on a trip; it’s a plea for everything to go well on one’s journey.  I read an article that said the phrase “traveling mercies” originated in the late 19^th century and was used almost exclusively of missionary workers going on a long trip. So, you have this: 

• Heavenly Father, bless us with traveling mercies as we act as Your hands and feet in the earth, spreading the gospel of peace. Bless us to speak only Your Word and do only Your Will. Protect us from danger and persecution, but we know that if we are persecuted, it is for the sake of Christ. Amen.

Vs.

• Lord, please don’t let this bag explode… Oh yeah, in Jesus name. Amen. 

It may be that we don’t deserve traveling mercies. This might be why June’s TUMI bag trolley handle broke the first day of this trip. And, it might be why I noticed my Samsonite bag was ripped yesterday morning before our trip to the airport. But we bought a cheap belt and made a make-shift handle for June’s bag, and I had that Samsonite-piece-of-trash bag shrink-wrapped in green plastic. Both should make it to our next destination: Prague. So, traveling mercies are still in  effect. 

I wonder if this trip gets the same mercy as a missionary journey? …It probably does, right? The idea of the “same mercy” is a great one. You may recall from my blog series on the Beatitudes, that the concept of mercy (either as the recipient or giver) is very complicated. 

Or at least it was…until Jesus made it easy. 

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need
 – Hebrews 4:16

This scripture seems to me like a mercy guarantee. Go to the throne of grace. Automatic mercy and grace is there. It’s available to everyone who goes to the throne of grace. Everyone who approaches God, everyone who seeks Jesus…every single person can be confident of this: mercy. The same mercies are available to all.

But we, as individuals, don’t have the same mercy when it comes to:

• Individual people 
• Individual sins

Some people get a pass, or even numerous passes, because you love them, or because they finance your lifestyle, or because they introduce you to so many cool experiences that you’ll put up with their crazy. Some people get three chances. Three strikes and you’re out (I used to subscribe to that rule). If you do something sketch three times…bye Felicia!  Some people are one and done. Some people never got a chance at all. Different mercy. For different people. 

There are some sins that we just don’t have time for. Liars I can deal with, but I can't abide a thief...okay. If you say so.

But Jesus was offering mercy to all sorts of folks. And we hear it during sermons. We talk about it in small groups. We read it in our personal study time…but we often don’t get it. We get the warm and fuzzy feeling when the person in the story is us. I’m the thief on the cross. I’m the tax collector. I’m Paul on the road to Damascus. I'm the woman caught in adultery. And the Lord had mercy on me. Hallelujah! Is your hallelujah the same when rather than being those people, you’re their victim? When you've been robbed, unfairly treated, cheated on...do you require something for your pain? Are you still praising God that the victim and the perpetrator are recipients of the same mercy? 

If no, you’re human. And it’s only natural. If yes, then you have manifested the fruit of the spirit, and that’s only supernatural. 

I’m currently doing a study of the Lord’s Prayer, and honestly, it’s never seemed all that deep. But I got a little cut thinking of this line: 

“Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” – Matthew 6:12

To me this is just the extrapolation of the Beatitude: Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. To me, this is just: “treat people like you want to be treated.” And it is. It is ALL of that. But it is also something else. 

For me, it’s about the word “debts.” 

Debt’s are obligation that you owe. That have to be paid. Or else really bad things happen.  When I think of my sin debt, there is one thing I know: I couldn’t pay. I couldn’t make it right with God. And as such, Jesus went to the cross and paid my debt. 

Yet, we go around feeling owed. When we a slighted, and when we are wronged, we have this strong desire for people to make it right. But how?! How do you want them to do that? What do they have to pay? What do they have to do? To get the same mercy from you, that you get from God for free?

…

 

When I had this thought, it was super sad. Because I realized: nobody owes me anything! Have you ever felt entitled to your rage? Entitled to your anger? If you’ve accepted Christ...you have to relinquish it. You’re not entitled anymore. You who have received grace are now only allowed to give it out. 

So, next time I’m mad. Next time I want someone to pay for what they’ve done. I’ll think about everything I’ve done. And I’ll think about the mercy Christ showed me. 

 And I’ll try to show the same mercy.