2025-10-31
Good morning, Dear Ones,
Mercy is defined as “compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm.” In today’s society there is a great need for more mercy, fashioned after the mercy God shows. Not enough of this is shown by mankind, which is why guns are so liberally used to mow down our perceived and real enemies. Spencer Cox, the governor of UT has made it his motive to show that people can disagree about politics or other matters without doing violence to others. During his campaign, he made several ads with his opponent in which they both spoke about their differences on the issues and their respect for each other. He is just one person who wants to see the divisions in this country and there are many others. Certainly, I am in this group.
God’s nature is loving as one can see by His many acts of benevolence, compassion, and comfort for the unfortunate. Believers in the Lord want to be as much like Him as possible. Extending kindness, forgiveness and demonstrating care are responses to the same God has given us. These and other gifts of the Holy Spirit [GA 5: 22-23] extended to others in misfortune or other trouble, come from God and shown in our thoughts and behavior, are a measure of God’s impact on an individual or group. The medical community would fit into this description and many more people who share God’s motivations and have reverence for Him. Hebrew is a very spiritual language. In Hebrew, the word rachamim [rach-ah-‘meem] arises from the root, racham [rach-‘ahm] which means “womb”—which often suggests a deep, nurturing compassionate love such as a mother’s feelings for her child.
PS 91 is rich with descriptions of mercy, so let me list some words it uses to reveal God’s mercy: shelter, in the shadow of the Almighty, refuge, fortress (vss 1-2); save, covers, faithfulness, shield, rampart (vss 4-5); punishment of the wicked (vs 8); angels to guard you, lift you up (vss 11-12); loves, protects, rescue, I will answer [his] call, accompany him in trouble, salvation (vss14-16). This psalm is a treasure trove of God’s mercy.
Mercy is also mentioned in the Beatitudes, in MT 5: 7, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” God is telling us “Be holy because I am holy” in more than one place [LV 11: 44 and 1 PET 1: 16]. Remember, when a concept is repeated, God is telling us this is important! It signals the separation from sin and a commitment to live according to God’s standards. LAM 3: 22-24, “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my Portion; therefore, I will wait for Him.” How can we approach the Lord when we need to have mercy? Pray PS 86: 5-6, “You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to You. Hear my prayer, Lord; listen to my cry for mercy…”
The greatest act of mercy God has shown mankind has come in Christ’s crucifixion. IS 53: 5, “But He was pierced from our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds, we are healed.” Think about this: JN 3: 16, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” Moreover, 1 PET 2: 24, “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.” Jesus is the perfect “sin sacrifice” [propitiation] for our sins, just as the ram was in GN 22: 13 was for Isaac that God gave Abraham for this loving father’s obedient faithfulness. Three forms of mercy are: word, deed, and prayer. Abraham demonstrated all three, just as God did.
PRAYER: O Lord in serving You, we must have mercy as defined above in thought, word, and deed. Only Your Holy Spirit can renew our minds in such a way as to take a sin-bound human and give him mercy. This is carried out though Your grace, unmerited favor, and out of Your boundless, forgiving love. In our time of need, HE 4: 16 guides us in what we can do. “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” You are always here for us, O Lord, and we are grateful. We are never left to fend for ourselves or suffer despite our own faithfulness. You hear our prayers and answer them because Your love for us is greater than any other Being. We offer You our loyalty, obedience, love, praise, and thanksgiving, in the holy/mighty name of Jesus Christ.”
NEXT WEEK: The Holy Spirit heaped so much information on me that He wants me to write a second devotion about mercy. His generosity is wonderful, and I hope you, my readers, will find His messages compelling. In the meanwhile, we can spend some time this week examining our own lives to get an idea if we are merciful or not. Pray PS 139: 23-24, “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting.” God will direct You as You pray while visiting the “shelter under His wings” –that soft, safe, spiritual bed of feathers where He will listen and advise us. Praise and thanksgiving be to Him!
Grace Be with You Always,
Lynn, JS 24: 15
© Lynn Johnson 2025. All Rights Reserved.
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