Mercy

I’ll be honest and admit there have been times in my life where I followed the crowd. I think we have all been there, whether it happened when we were younger or recently. It may have caused trouble or it might not. Regardless of the outcome, God sees all and knows everything we do, even before we do it. For example, let’s look at Peter’s story. “And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice” (Mark‬ ‭14‬:‭30‬). ‭Jesus knew that Peter was going to deny him three times in front of others. Peter probably didn’t think he would, but we see later on in Matthew 26 that Peter denies knowing Jesus three times because of the circumstances that were happening. Immediately Peter remembered what Jesus said and felt so bad that he wept (verse 75).

Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, And art acquainted with all my ways (Psalm‬ ‭139‬:‭2‬-‭3‬). ‭This scripture alone is exactly why He shows mercy, to Peter and all of us. Jesus knows every little thing about us. He even knows when we are going to mess up, but yet He still gives us mercy. Mercy is compassion and kindness shown to people in need, especially when there is the power to punish them. He showed us the ultimate mercy by dying on the cross for us. He didn’t have to do that, but he loved us too much to let us stay in our sinful ways. No matter how many times we mess up, God is still there with open arms. However, we should get too a point where we don’t want to keep disappointing God, in case mercy does run out.  So instead we can turn things around just like Peter. We don’t hear anymore in scripture that he denied Jesus again, instead in Acts 4 we see Peter using Christ as his defense against the rulers, elders and scribes who were upset that they were teaching and preaching to bring souls to Christ. Instead of following the crowd or living for ourselves, we should be disciples for Jesus, for He created us to be ambassadors for Christ.

For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion” (Romans‬ ‭9‬:‭15‬ ). We also have to remember that we are accounted for everything we do in life. “For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil” (Ecclesiastes‬ ‭12‬:‭14‬). You can’t expect good things to keep happen for you when you don’t put good out into the world. There is sin willingly and sin unknowingly. God can give you discernment over good and bad situations. Plus you also have countless scriptures (Galatians 5) that describe what a life of living for flesh looks like versus living for the Spirit. “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh” (Galatians‬ ‭5‬:‭16‬).

God’s mercy is such a big help in the moments when we don’t know what to do. Sometimes we get ourselves in situations that are hard to get out of. However mercy can save us - “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews‬ ‭4‬:‭16‬). This alone is enough to be thankful for. It’s a lot of things seen and unseen that could have took a worse turn in our life, but God’s mercy and grace saved us. We are not perfect people and God knows that. He created us all individually in our own unique ways. We all mess up sometimes, but we should take that mess up into a learning experience. Let our “mess ups” be created to better us. He gives us mercy so we can be better for the next. We should want to prove to God that we want to do better in whatever area we may be struggling in. We have to be different than our peers. We are in the world, not of the world. Yes, God grants us mercy but don’t let this be an excuse all the time. “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another” ‭‭(Galatians‬ ‭5‬:‭13‬).

God grants us mercy over the little and the big things. However, what if that one big thing didn’t receive the mercy that you thought? Especially if it’s catering to something that wasn’t of God? At the end of the day, God is still good. It doesn’t change who He is. Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever (Hebrews‬ ‭13‬:‭8‬). It doesn’t change the fact that He is still a God of mercy and grace, however it should change you. “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: But whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy” (Proverbs‬ ‭28‬:‭13‬).

Don’t take God’s mercy for granted for it is our saving power. “For as the heaven is high above the earth, So great is his mercy toward them that fear him” ‭‭(Psalm‬ ‭103‬:‭11‬).