Greeting in Christ,
How do we define mercy? God’s mercy? We overlook His mercy in many ways in our life here on earth. Mankind has refused to look to God as He has asked, and have set aside His mercy calling it something else. Mankind has not appreciated what God has done for them for the very beginning.
Jeremiah writes God is not happy with the mindset of the people. “For from the least of them even to the greatest of them, everyone is greedy for gain, and from the prophet even to the priest everyone deals falsely.” God is asking Jeremiah to warn the people of their wrong doing. They have strayed from the guidance of God and they have relied on their own thinking, and it is leading them down the wrong path. God knows they are not living a righteous life and they will suffer His judgment. God is calling to His people through Jeremiah to bring them back to His way of thinking because He does not want them to face the wrath of His judgment.
Paul writes in 1 Corinthians, “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.” The people of Corinth were making claims since food did not have any bearing on the Christian morals this could be translated into other areas of their spiritual life. They believed promiscuous sex fell into the same category. Paul reminded them there was no correlation between the two. “Food is for the stomach, and the stomach is for food; but God will do away with both of them. Yet the body is not for immorality, but for the Lord; and the Lord is for the body.” Paul was telling them while they had to eat it will soon pass, but the body meant more than just filling it with food. “But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him.” Paul reminded them when they say they are followers of Christ they are joined in spirit, and they were bought with a price. “Or do you not know your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.”
Mark records the compassion of Jesus as He approaches the demon possessed man in Gerasene. Many people feared the demon possessed man, and they tried to keep him bound with chains to restrain him, but he broke them with ease. He ran wild over the tombs gnashing his teeth and cutting himself terrifying all of those who tried to enter the area. Despite all this and the people warning Jesus of the man’s actions He walked towards the man. Now the demons who possessed the man recognized Jesus causing the man to run to Jesus and bowing down before Him asking what He wanted with them. Jesus having compassion on the man cast the demons into swine gathered on the hillside.
The man was so grateful to be free of the demons he wanted to follow Jesus in His journeys, but Jesus had another suggestion, “And He did not let him, but He said to him, “Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you.” Jesus wanted the man to share the mercy he had been bestowed on Him by Jesus.
Mercy is a form of love determined by the state or condition of its objects. Their state is one of suffering and need, while they may be unworthy or ill-deserving. Mercy is at once the disposition of love respecting such and the kindly ministry of love for their relief. Mercy is a Christian grace and is very strongly urged toward all men. (Unger’s Bible Dictionary)
Mankind is not deserving of God’s mercy, but He stills cares enough to reach down to earth and send His Son who died on the cross to give us a plan of salvation. God has been reaching out to mankind since He created man in His image trying to make them realize they need to recognize Him.
Once we accept God’s mercy, it is up to us to cherish it, and not to abuse it. It is our responsibility once we receive it to pass it along to others. God does not want us to face His wrath, but rather to meet Him face to face.
“I sought the Lord, and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears.” Psalms 34:4
“For He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in His faithfulness.” Psalms 96:13b
Lord God help us to remain faithful to You, and to never take Your mercy for granted. Give us the same compassion to pass on the mercy which has been given to us. Amen.
Blessings,
Mark Johnson
Psalm 34, 96; Jeremiah 6:9-15; 1 Corinthians 6:12-20; Mark 5:1-20