Mercy

Mercy (έλεος) means “compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm.”

We all need mercy from God. It’s just that simple. God has all the power in the world that He can use to punish us and He has plenty of reason to do so. Our sin is colossal and God has the power to judge and penalize us accordingly.

But, God has mercy. Mercy for us that He happily gives.

In Luke 6:36, it says, “... your Father is merciful.”

1 Peter 1:3 says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”

1 Timothy 1:16 says, “But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.”

Because of God’s wondrous mercy, we get to be born again AND His mercy shows His perfect patience.

“Then David said to Gad, “I am in great distress. Let us fall into the hand of the Lord, for his mercy is great; but let me not fall into the hand of man.” 2 Samuel 24:14

God’s mercy is much more abundant and greater than man’s mercy.

Deuteronomy 4:31 states, “For the Lord your God is a merciful God. He will not leave you or destroy you or forget the covenant with your fathers that he swore to them.”

Isn’t that so encouraging? Sure, humans can be merciful, forgiving, and compassionate, but they’ll leave you someday and maybe even forget you. But God will NOT leave us, and He won’t ever forget the covenant that He made with our fathers.

There are many instances in the Bible that tell us to be merciful.

Luke 6:36 -- “Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.”

Proverbs 3:3-4 --“Let not mercy and truth forsake you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart, and so find favor and high esteem in the sight of God and man.”

Zechariah 7:9 -- “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Execute true justice, show mercy and compassion everyone to his brother.”

Colossians 3:12 -- “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering…”

Moral of the story: Thank the Lord for His mercy! We do NOT deserve His forgiveness, yet He gives it to us. Be merciful!