November 9, 2007
Mercy said NO

I want to share how God found me when I was not looking for Him. I was living in Houston, Texas as a prodigal son. I was living a life that wore sin as a badge of honor. I had been up to this point in my life a “good person” who knew about God and His son Jesus, but had no interest in knowing them intimately. The group of people I was hanging out with all live on the edge in the fast lane. Drugs, sex, lies deceit, pride and self ruled our lives. We were living what was termed the best the “world” had to offer. Suddenly, I lost my job of 17 years and found myself in dire straights. Some of  my friends wound up going to jail as I watched my world crumble around me. I had been living in the pig pen, and was up to my neck in mire. I was in a state of hopelessness and panic as my life swirled out of control. Looking back now, I see how God was breaking my pride, but at the time I just knew I was in trouble. I wasn’t going to church at that time so God was not an alternative to me. I had to figure it out on my own, some how.
    Just when I was going down for the last time, God showed up. The person who had fired me from my job, had been let go and was now working for another company. This man who disliked me, now called me out of the blue and offered me a job making more money than I had ever made. Two of my friends went to prison for drug dealing and I could have gone also as a conspirator with them, yet one day in the lawyer’s office while he was speaking to a prosecutor from Florida my name was mentioned. The Florida prosecutor said they were not interested in me, “I seemed like a good guy”. I left that office overjoyed and relieved, it seemed as if my life was turning around. I still at this point did not see God in this, not YET! I had never listened to Christian music except at Christmas time when you hear Christmas music everywhere. I did not even know there was Christian music stations. I was driving around one day when suddenly a song came on the radio. The station somehow was on a local Christian station which I didn’t turn to for I didn’t know they existed. The singer was singing “ mercy said no, I’m not going to let you go, I’m not gonna let you slip away you don’t have to be afraid, Mercy said no, sin will never take control. Life and death stood face to face, darkness tried to steal my heart away, THANK YOU JESUS, Mercy said no.” I pulled over to the side of the road as I was weeping uncontrollably. This weeping was different from any I had ever experienced before. It was what I would later find out was joy which transcends all understanding. I has been knocked of my horse on the way to Damascus and would never be the same. The singer was Greg Long. I now knew God and His Son, Jesus intimately. When I hear this song now, my eyes always tear up, and I am reminded of a day long ago, When mercy said NO. God has used me in my different ways now that I would have never dreamed of. I write Christian poetry now, actually I just hold the pen and God writes. As an ex bodybuilder it’s funny how Now that I write poetry, But that is how God works. I do know JESUS SAVES! Even when we don’t want to be saved. Love in Christ  Greg Davis, Houston, Texas
PS. Greg I saw you sing this song on an October Saturday night at Lakewood Church, my friend Sidney sings in the choir. And by the way, I cried.