Many people go day by day asking for mercy, but do they really know what God’s mercy is? In the Bible, God’s mercy means His pity, compassion, and kindness toward His people. His mercy shows up in the follower’s life at salvation, and then God continues to show mercy in forgiveness. Mercy triumphs over judgment but refusing God’s mercy is catastrophic.
God has, and shows, His patience for His own to those who deserve to be punished. God doesn’t owe us mercy, yet He loves us and gives us way more mercy than we deserve. Yet, even though God is merciful what He is doing is holding off the judgment of justice to a later time. Do any of us truly know the horrors of our own sin? Do any of us truly know what awaits those who won’t confess and repent of their sins means to their very soul? Do any of us truly know just how blessed we are because God gives His mercy to us? Real mercy is so beyond our understanding. Why is that? Because God’s wrath and mercy come together at the cross, we can be changed and made ready for eternity.
Adam and Eve in the bible were the very first people to sin. God could have zapped them right there for their sin, yet God showed mercy to them. How?
God covered their shame with the skins of a sacrificed animal (Genesis 3:21). They sure didn’t deserve to have God’s mercy, and because of their sin that day in the garden…we have all faced the results of their sin that day. Yet, God showed them mercy then and God is still showing us mercy today. Christ went to the cross and showed us the greatest example of mercy that could have given us mercy. Christ became the once-and-for-all acceptable and wrath-satisfying sacrifice on our behalf.
God desires to meet with His people (the church throughout the ages), and the blood of the spotless lamb is the only means by which that meeting is possible. No matter who we are, no matter what we have done or not done in life…without Jesus as our Lord and Savior will we truly get God’s mercy?
The mercy seat was as real as the cross to come. Christ is now our mercy seat. Jesus is our mercy seat. Let all of us realize the price our mercy came from and what it cost Him to give us mercy. Because of what He did for us that day on the cross God’s mercy doesn’t run out for His family, the church! I am so very thankful that God’s mercy never runs out when, we His family, ask for His mercy, confess our sins, and repent from them (by changing direction). God wants to give mercy, and He waits for His people to show that we really want mercy. When we come to Him in true repentance, His mercy shows up in so many ways to us.
If we only truly understood that God’s mercy triumphs over judgment, but refusing mercy is catastrophic. Do we even truly realize that every speck of God’s judgment for sin is just? Do we care? We should absolutely care. God wants to give His family/the church mercy but don’t ever refuse it. It will be hazardous to you if you do. The Lord is patient beyond anything we deserve, and He never wants us to perish. He wants us to repent, but those who refuse mercy will receive judgment (2 Peter 3:9; Proverbs 29:1).
Because God shows us mercy when we don’t deserve it, shouldn’t we also show others mercy as well? Just as we sin against God people in our life have sinned against us. Is it possible that the mercy we show others is the measuring stick God uses to show us mercy?
When we asked God into our life/hearts mercy showed up. Every time we ask for forgiveness (and are truly repentant of our sins) God shows up and forgives us. That is amazing mercy. It is His love and mercy that preserves the church. God is an Amazing Father. God is always wrapped up in love and mercy for His kids.
Do you pray for God’s mercy in your life? In doing so, do you need to search yourself to see what God sees when He looks at you? Is there anything in your life that you need to change? Is there anything you need to confess? You ask for mercy, but you have a part to play if you get it.
You can be like the person in the Bible who stood there thinking he was “all that” and thought he and his prayers were more important than everyone else were, or you can be like the man who was truly repentant that said, Father, forgive me for I am a sinner. Although God saw them both praying that day, it was the man who was sorry that was shown God’s mercy. I want God’s forgiveness and mercy and to be justified before Him.
Do you just say “Lord, have mercy,” but don’t take into account what it is you are asking, or that you have a part in if you are going to get mercy in whatever situation you are in? What or how do you see what mercy really is?
Do you have a need? Does someone you care about have a need? God is the God of provision. Sometimes He gives full provision and sometimes we think God didn’t hear what we asked for. Do our prayers line up with His word? God’s provision doesn’t always come like we think it should, but His provision in our need is always right. Just as an earthly father loves His child, sometimes what a child thinks they want is not what the dad thinks he should have. Maybe for right then, or maybe never. If your 5-year-old child asks for something that will harm them, would you give it to them? God always sees the entire picture, but we, even as His kids, don’t always see the entire picture.
Understandably, any prayer—if it’s sincere—reflects an awareness (or hope) that God is there with and for us and that is a true statement. God always listens! “Lord, have mercy,” when presented in faith, is an declaration not only of God’s presence but also of His closeness. He is there, He is near, and He is listening. Prayer changes things.
In the Bible, Jesus told us a story of an official who owed a large debt, and the ruler forgave the debt, wiping his slate clean. But then the official went out and refused to show mercy to another man, who owed him—making the ruler angry and bringing punishment on the official. If we want God’s mercy in our life and in our situation then we should also be showing others mercy as well.
There is a story in the Bible about the 10 lepers. Jesus healed all of them, yet only one of the ten who were touched by the love of this man of Galilee had seen beyond the miracle of healing to the one who had dared to risk for him. Only one of the 10 came back to thank Jesus for what He had done for him. One in 10!!! He saw Jesus for who he was? Do you and I always see who Jesus is and what He has done for us? How do you see Jesus? Who is Jesus to you?
Do you need God’s mercy today? I do! I need His mercy every day for I although I am a child of God I mess up. I have messed up a lot in my years on this earth, yet I am so thankful that God saved me, healed me many times over, and provided for my needs and not my greed. I live in a fallen world until Jesus comes for His bride or takes me home on the day He has chosen for me to go. I am thankful for what the cross did and the mercy that has come my way and in the life of those I care about. God didn’t promise us an easy time on earth no matter what anyone tells you. He said in this world we would have tribulation. That the world hated Him and they would hate us as well. We don’t like that part. We want an easy life. All we can do while upon this earth in these bodies is do our best to care for them, do what is right in the sight of God, and when we mess up we pray, we confess, we repent, and we trust God and thank Him for the mercy He shows us each and every day. Now, our part, is to also show others mercy for they are like us also and they mess up too. This does not mean that what they did was okay or that we want to hang out with them, but when we forgive and show mercy it frees up our soul so we can go hang out with God. Today is a new day. What do you need in your life today? Ask God! Thank God! Trust God! His mercy is so great and He wants to help each and everyone of us. He doesn’t desire even one person be lost. Aren’t you glad that each morning is a new day, new mercies, and joy beyond what we deserve. I am!