Mercy

Much has been made in our discussion of grace as applied to the Unconditional Good News of the gospel. The grace seen and extended to us grants us gifts and freedoms we don’t deserve. As we have been reflecting on all that we are free from and free to do, let us not lose sight of mercy.  Mercy and grace though linked are different.

I think of a soul parched in the desert, knowing that without water his body will cease to live and so crawling towards the spring with his last bit of energy. Consumed with finding a source of life, all longing and focus is on reaching for that sip. That first drink gulp prevents death from overtaking him, and brings a deep satisfaction, a refreshing in the innermost.

Yet tomorrow he will thirst again.  The need for water returns shortly.  Mercy is like this need. As I lean in and recognize my need for a Savior each day I am encouraged to hear the writer of Lamentations ring out in my head saying,

"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
    his mercies never come to an end;
 they are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22-23 (ESV))

Several months ago I heard a Turning Point broadcast where David Jeremiah likened mercy to a bookend which closed to door to Hell for us, and drew out that analogy to the other bookend being grace which opens the door to Heaven for us.  Applying this to my life, I start each day recognizing that in Christ I no longer need fear Hell.  That is so huge, and yet I find it easy to gloss over and more on to the next thing. I need to pause and process that I no longer face eternity apart from God! For what I deserved was death, judgement and Hell.

Although not unique to him, a family friend when asked how he is, nearly always replies by saying, “Better than I deserve!” It always brings me up short! It is so true! Because of mercy, I no longer fear separation from God because that separation has been spanned by Jesus’ death on the cross.

Let us pause and reflect again on that fact.  His mercies are new every morning. We get to reset our hearts upon the Author and Perfector of our faith. So doing, we are charged with offering that mercy to others. In the Sermon on the Mount we are told,

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall inherit mercy.” (Matthew 5:7 ESV)

Later we are challenged by James. In James 3: 13-17 we read:

Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom.  But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth.  This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.  But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.

We need to be full of mercy and good fruits – sincerely! Not putting on masks and behaving in a way that is inconsistent with our hearts, but rather letting our hearts be changed by His mercy and then reflecting that mercy to others. So as we reset to receive God’s mercy as new every morning, may we also reset to offering new mercies to others each day.  Thus keeping our hearts aligned with our Savior and our Father as well as being free to serve unencumbered by hypocrisy. Let us be transformed together to that end – to go show mercy!