This Sunday we will be studying the attribute of “mercy” — God is Merciful (or God is Mercy).
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE:
The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made.
— Psalm 145:9
What does that mean? God being Mercy is what allows us to exist in this world at all, and especially without the existential consequences of the poor decisions we make. It is what allows us to interact with a HUGE, PERFECT, JUST, All-POWERFUL God. If He were not also Mercy, the story of human beings would be very different and very short-lived.
THE PATH
How do we encounter God’s Mercy? Though we may not always realize it we are swimming in God’s mercy at all times. How we notice it is first acknowledging our reality. In addition to being completely loved and delighted-in objects of God’s love who bear His image, we are also sinners. We have sinned against God and that is part of our reality. Realizing this, we can look around and notice the fact that we are not being constantly punished. We have access to God through Jesus Christ, who took His MERCY to the furthest possible degree in dying on a cross to show us the extent of this MERCY. As I walk through my day, drive my car, do my job, I can remind myself that what I deserve isn’t what I’m experiencing, but I am swimming in a sea of the Mercy of God. What a humbling and amazing thought!
PRACTICE PERSONALLY
- I have found the Jesus Prayer, “Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.” to be very helpful. Many Orthodox Christians say this prayer continually. I have found that it slowly convinces me that I am in constant need of Mercy and allows me to see my place a little more clearly.
- As you go about your day this week, picture yourself swimming in a sea of Mercy that is completely undeserved and allow gratitude to fill you toward the God who loves seeing you swim!
PRACTICE COMMUNALLY
Confess to someone a sin you have committed (or all of them!) We are instructed to do so (James 5:16), but we Protestants (as a whole) seldom do. Also, offer to hear the confession of someone you know. This is a way to experience the freedom that MERCY offers. We confess to God, but confessing to another in your community brings a whole new power to walking in His Mercy and forgiveness.
PRACTICE WITH CHILDREN/FAMILY
Have a Day of Mercy in your house where anyone can confess anything they would like to without the consequence that would usually come with the offense. Allow your children to experience admitting to something they have done wrong and explain to them what the consequence would have been, then tell them they are forgiven and give them a hug. This is what MERCY is and it is what God does with us and how He restores relationship with Him when we confess our sins. This happens because God is MERCY and because Jesus took our sins upon Himself and they are no longer ours.