"O Lord, hear my voice.
Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.
If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins,
O Lord, who could stand?
But with you there is forgiveness;
therefore you are feared."
Psalm 130:2-4
"We do not make requests of you
because we are righteous,
but because of your great mercy."
Daniel 9:18b
"I don't know what I'm doing wrong to deserve all this trouble!"
"I must have really gotten on God's bad side recently because I'm having the worst day!"
"It's one thing after another. I can't understand why my life is so difficult! What did I do to deserve this?"
If the circumstances of my life truly depended upon my own worthiness or righteousness as I sometimes think, I would not last another moment. God never gives us what we deserve: if He did, as the psalmist said, "Who could stand?"
Instead, the Lord is a God of mercy. He withholds my rightful treatment, instead drawing me to Himself in a relationship of love. There is nothing I can do to earn His love. I can never be good enough to enter into a relationship with Him. I have no hope without the mercy of God which is best shown through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ my Lord!
His Nature
Toward the end of his life, David took a census of all his fighting men, putting his trust in his might instead of in God's. As a result, God gave him three choices for punishment through the prophet Gad. Famine, being chased by his enemies, or a plague. David said to Gad, "I am in deep distress. Let us fall into the hands of the LORD, for his mercy is great; but do not let me fall into the hands of men."
The judgement of God is just, but He mercifully does not treat me as my sins deserve. For this reason, it is always better to leave my life in the hands of God rather than men who may be having a bad day and decide to annihilate me. God never acts out of spite, irritation or frustration. His actions are deliberate and always with the goal of lifting up His great name and restoring my relationship with Him. He acts with perfect justice and love.
Since I am a human being, I have very little experience with mercy. Instead, I am used to others taking their frustrations out on me. I am accustomed to getting the short end of the stick. I am familiar with the back of the proverbial hand. Cruel, ruthless behavior is commonplace in my world.
To be fair, I am not always on the receiving end of unmerciful actions. Many times I give exactly what I think someone deserves. If I had a 'smite' button, I would have incinerated many-an-irritating driver, especially during rush hour traffic. Then there are the moments when I secretly hope that the woman who is always so nasty to me will get what's coming to her. I am merciless.
There is no human example of mercy that I can look to for enlightenment. It is God's nature to be merciful, and until I know this, I will not be able to fully trust Him as David did. David had no right to ask for leniency or favor. He knew he had gone against God in relying on his own might instead of God’s. But David was familiar with the nature of God and understood that His mercy is great. In throwing himself at the mercy of God, he was showing God how much He trusted Him.
Since I am a human being, I have very little experience with mercy. Instead, I am used to others taking their frustrations out on me. I am accustomed to getting the short end of the stick. I am familiar with the back of the proverbial hand. Cruel, ruthless behavior is commonplace in my world.
To be fair, I am not always on the receiving end of unmerciful actions. Many times I give exactly what I think someone deserves. If I had a 'smite' button, I would have incinerated many-an-irritating driver, especially during rush hour traffic. Then there are the moments when I secretly hope that the woman who is always so nasty to me will get what's coming to her. I am merciless.
There is no human example of mercy that I can look to for enlightenment. It is God's nature to be merciful, and until I know this, I will not be able to fully trust Him as David did. David had no right to ask for leniency or favor. He knew he had gone against God in relying on his own might instead of God’s. But David was familiar with the nature of God and understood that His mercy is great. In throwing himself at the mercy of God, he was showing God how much He trusted Him.
In the same way, I can show God my reverence and appreciation for Him and put myself at His mercy; not because I deserve it, but because I know Him. I trust Him
enough to place my very life in His hands.
Given that it is God's nature to act mercifully, I can trust Him fully.
Undeserved
Just a few more days, and then I can leave this fugitive lifestyle, she thought as she jumped the ditch and darted into the forest. I can't let my brother go hungry. He's just a baby! She contemplated the sentence of death that awaited her if she was caught as she jogged along, being careful not to draw the attention of nearby residents. Finally, she made it to the hollowed out tree that had become their home, stolen merchandise firmly hidden in her pouch.
"Here, I got your favorite; bread and apples. God ahead, take it!"
I must find some milk, or he won't grow strong and healthy. "I'll be right back. I'm going to that family's barn on the other side of the meadow. It's milking time and I should be able to sneak a ladle or two. Fresh milk! Doesn't that sound good?" The boy looked at her listlessly. He's getting weaker.
As she rounded the corner of the barn, the king's horses stood pawing at the ground. To her horror, the ruler himself sat upon his steed. Oh no, I'm dead meat! I've been stealing food from all over the kingdom! Desperately, she threw herself face first in the dirt. "Have mercy on me, Oh King!"
In the above scenario, the girl knew she was in the wrong, even though her reason for living the life of a thief was noble. In the face of the supreme judge of the land, there was nothing she could say in defense of her actions. Her best chance for survival was to place herself at the king's mercy and hope that he would allow her to survive.
Maybe part of the reason that I don't truly accept God's mercy is that I don't understand the depths of my sin. Because of my disobedience to God's law, my nature that is contrary to God's, and my pride that is an affront to Him, I deserve death. Like the girl, my punishment is well-deserved.
In the confession of their sins as a part of a time of worship during the time of Nehemiah, the Levites gave an account of the unfaithfulness of God's people. They constantly turned their back on God and His ways. God punished them and then they would inevitably cry out to Him. He would save them. They would become comfortable and forget Him again. . .and the cycle went on; disobedience, warning, punishment, repentance. The worship leaders end this historical account with the statement, "But in your great mercy you did not put an end to them or abandon them, for you are a gracious and merciful God." (Nehemiah 9:31)
I am completely at God's mercy, whether I know it or not. I cannot stand on my own two feet, so heavy are my transgressions. John Donne, 17th Century English poet and priest, put it this way: "We are God's tenants here, and yet here he, our landlord, pays us rents--not yearly, nor quarterly, but hourly and quarterly; every minute he renews his mercy."
God's mercy is undeserved, but necessary for my continued existence.
The trickster received the blessing while the firstborn received more of a curse, destined to live an impoverished, brutal life. One was loved, the other hated. One was chosen, the other cast away.
Jacob did not deserve to receive the blessing meant for his older twin brother, Esau. He had shown himself to be a deceptive, selfish young man. Still, it was God's good plan for the younger to take the older's place. At their birth, God let Rebecca know that the older would serve the younger, but it had nothing to do with either of their characters, abilities or worth. As it is explained in the New Living Translation of Romans 9:11, "This message shows that God chooses people according to his own purposes; he calls people, but not according to their good or bad works."
It is God's choice who receives mercy. If you are reading this blog, it is most likely that you have been called according to His purposes and were chosen to become a part of God's family. As such, each breathe you take is according to His mercy. If He lets you live another moment, it is because of His mercy. If you can stand before Him, it is because of His mercy.
I recently heard a story about a young woman who did not believe in God. She suddenly went into a coma and remained unconscious for eleven days. During that time, the One whom she previously disregarded spoke to her, saying, "It is not yet your time, my child."
Needless to say, the first thing this woman did when waking up was to thank God for His mercy. Even though she had completely ignored all the good He had given to her and had earned death, He had planned for her to live a little while longer. She now lives for Jesus.
In the same way, "In his great mercy he has give us new birth into a living hope. . ." through faith in Jesus Christ. As He rose again on the third day and now sits at the right hand of God, so I will live eternally in His presence. I neither deserve this nor expected this, but God extended this gift anyway. It is His choice.
God's grants His great mercy according to His plan.
The mercy of God is unfathomable. Due to His merciful nature, an undeserving people are chosen to be a part of His plan, paving the way for life; abundant, everlasting life. Then I can truly say, "Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever." (1 Chronicles 16:34)
As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I will remember that I am at the mercy of God.
How do I take life for granted, failing to savor the moments He has give me?
When do I expect things I neither deserve nor earned?
In the above scenario, the girl knew she was in the wrong, even though her reason for living the life of a thief was noble. In the face of the supreme judge of the land, there was nothing she could say in defense of her actions. Her best chance for survival was to place herself at the king's mercy and hope that he would allow her to survive.
Maybe part of the reason that I don't truly accept God's mercy is that I don't understand the depths of my sin. Because of my disobedience to God's law, my nature that is contrary to God's, and my pride that is an affront to Him, I deserve death. Like the girl, my punishment is well-deserved.
In the confession of their sins as a part of a time of worship during the time of Nehemiah, the Levites gave an account of the unfaithfulness of God's people. They constantly turned their back on God and His ways. God punished them and then they would inevitably cry out to Him. He would save them. They would become comfortable and forget Him again. . .and the cycle went on; disobedience, warning, punishment, repentance. The worship leaders end this historical account with the statement, "But in your great mercy you did not put an end to them or abandon them, for you are a gracious and merciful God." (Nehemiah 9:31)
I am completely at God's mercy, whether I know it or not. I cannot stand on my own two feet, so heavy are my transgressions. John Donne, 17th Century English poet and priest, put it this way: "We are God's tenants here, and yet here he, our landlord, pays us rents--not yearly, nor quarterly, but hourly and quarterly; every minute he renews his mercy."
God's mercy is undeserved, but necessary for my continued existence.
Sovereign
The trickster received the blessing while the firstborn received more of a curse, destined to live an impoverished, brutal life. One was loved, the other hated. One was chosen, the other cast away.
Jacob did not deserve to receive the blessing meant for his older twin brother, Esau. He had shown himself to be a deceptive, selfish young man. Still, it was God's good plan for the younger to take the older's place. At their birth, God let Rebecca know that the older would serve the younger, but it had nothing to do with either of their characters, abilities or worth. As it is explained in the New Living Translation of Romans 9:11, "This message shows that God chooses people according to his own purposes; he calls people, but not according to their good or bad works."
It is God's choice who receives mercy. If you are reading this blog, it is most likely that you have been called according to His purposes and were chosen to become a part of God's family. As such, each breathe you take is according to His mercy. If He lets you live another moment, it is because of His mercy. If you can stand before Him, it is because of His mercy.
I recently heard a story about a young woman who did not believe in God. She suddenly went into a coma and remained unconscious for eleven days. During that time, the One whom she previously disregarded spoke to her, saying, "It is not yet your time, my child."
Needless to say, the first thing this woman did when waking up was to thank God for His mercy. Even though she had completely ignored all the good He had given to her and had earned death, He had planned for her to live a little while longer. She now lives for Jesus.
In the same way, "In his great mercy he has give us new birth into a living hope. . ." through faith in Jesus Christ. As He rose again on the third day and now sits at the right hand of God, so I will live eternally in His presence. I neither deserve this nor expected this, but God extended this gift anyway. It is His choice.
God's grants His great mercy according to His plan.
The mercy of God is unfathomable. Due to His merciful nature, an undeserving people are chosen to be a part of His plan, paving the way for life; abundant, everlasting life. Then I can truly say, "Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever." (1 Chronicles 16:34)
As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I will remember that I am at the mercy of God.
How do I take life for granted, failing to savor the moments He has give me?
When do I expect things I neither deserve nor earned?
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