Psalm 103:8 says, “The Lord is merciful” meaning He IS mercy. Mercy is who He is. If any of you are like me, there have been moments in life where you believe that you have blown it so bad that there is no hope and there is no mercy.
You might have thought something like, “Well if God only knew what I am really like and what I have done in the past, there is no way I could possibly be or do what He is asking of me” but the beauty is that God never asks us to be anything apart from who He is.
The bible teaches us that His loving nature and character is mercy. Mercy holds back from us what we really deserve...while grace gives us what we do not deserve.
His word says that “His mercies are new every morning” and that means I have to wake up every day and depend on that new mercy. I feel so incredibly grateful to know that we serve an "over and over" again God.
There is never a moment when we come to the Lord that He stops being merciful. He delights in showing us mercy and mercy triumphs judgement every single time.
When I am feeling weak or empty or am looking for that fresh mercy...I have to cling to His truth that nothing could ever separate me from His love. No person, no force of evil, no power of hell.
We can come to God’s throne of grace with all of our baggage and weight and we can obtain mercy and receive His grace to help us in times of need.
Constantly, Jesus is teaching me so much about His character and yet there are times where I don't even feel like I can cross the threshold into His presence. But grace and mercy. They come in and remind me what He has already done. What He CHOSE to do on our behalf...what He did not owe so that you and I could know Him. Really know Him.
Back to psalm 103, It is God who is merciful, who provides healing, forgiveness, redemption, crowns us and satisfies us.
9 You don’t look at us only to find our faults,
just so that You can hold a grudge against us.
10
You may discipline us for our many sins,
but never as much as we really deserve.
Nor do You get even with us for what we’ve done.
11
Higher than the highest heavens—
that’s how high Your tender mercy extends!
Greater than the grandeur of Heaven above
is the greatness of Your loyal love, towering over all
who fear You and bow down before You!
12
Farther than from a sunrise to a sunset—
that’s how far You’ve removed our guilt from us.
13
The same way a loving father feels toward his children—
that’s but a sample of Your tender feelings toward us,
Your beloved children, who live in awe of You.
He does it all because He is a merciful God. Write these words in your heart and hold fast to them.
You are not too far gone. You are not a lost cause. He has not abandoned you because you're on the fifth or tenth or one hundredth chance. He still loves you even when you fall short, when you said what you shouldn't have and when you acted out of character because it's just been one of those days.
Sweet friend, His mercy and His grace are extended to you. Will you receive it? I hope you do.
