Saved by the Mercy of God

John Bunyan was arrested for preaching the Gospel. Today we admire him for his groundbreaking novel, Pilgrim’s Progress. Yet this might not have been possible had he not been arrested.

It happened on this day in 1660, when he was 31. Bunyan was told that if he would apologize and stop preaching, he would be released. But he said he could not stop proclaiming what Jesus had done for him. As a result, he spent 12 years in prison.

However, Bunyan’s time in prison was not wasted. There, he wrote several of the most important books ever written, including Pilgrim’s Progress, an allegory based on Bunyan’s spiritual journey.

He also wrote Grace Abounding, which described his personal struggles with sin. As he prayed and sought God, the verse from Titus 3:5 “came with great power upon my spirit.” From the perspective of prison, Bunyan could see the work that God had done in his life.

It was wonderful to depend on God rather than on his own strength or the things he had done. He wrote, “I saw myself within the arms of grace and mercy.” This revelation swept throughout his life and eventually impacted many others.

Bunyan also realized that, if we trust our lives to God, we have much to look forward to, and nothing to fear. He wrote, “This life is but a slumber in comparison of that above.”

Today, remember that you are saved because of God’s mercy, not because of anything you have done. All you have to do is accept the finished work of Jesus. He died for your sins, that you might be forgiven, washed, and made clean.

God loves you, and He has a wonderful plan for your life. Trust your life to Him. And rest in His mercy and grace.