Lord, Have Mercy!
I’ve heard people say “Lorrrd, have mercy!” as a quick retort when yet another “I can’t believe it” circumstance happens. In reality, that is what we should say, rather pray, anytime we encounter a roadblock, a rock landslide, “rocked my world” or rock crazy situations going on in our world.
The rock-solid mercy of God is my focus in today’s blog. God is our ROCK in all of life’s ups and downs and His DIVINE MERCY is at our beckoned call when tough times come or when we are the ones who made a huge mistake and created the tough times.
God’s divine mercy was given in His covenant as He promised protection, provision, guidance, and His constant presence to His children. Because God is the initiator, the mercy He gives us is gracious, unmerited, undeserved, is compassionate and leads to forgiveness, and to the steadfast love that God sustains – in our relationship with Him.
In Psalm 51:1-2, David cried out, “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions…” A plea to God for mercy is asking Him to withhold the judgment we deserve and instead grant to us the forgiveness we, in no way, have earned.
David encountered that mercy after he had relations with Bathsheba and had her husband, one of his most honorable soldiers killed. God forgiving him, was truly Divine Mercy.
Today is Divine Mercy Sunday and my assurance of God’s divine mercy is reinforced. Divine Mercy Sunday is a time that is specifically dedicated to the great gift of the Lord’s mercy and love.
God’s mercy is real and available. Of course we celebrate His mercy every time we cry out to Him for mercy when we have failed Him, and every time we forgive another or someone forgives us. Mercy should be a part of the life of every Christian as sometimes we hurt others and sometimes others hurt us. “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.” Matthew 5:7
When God forgives us, His ocean of mercy washes over us to wash us clean – through and through. That is Divine Mercy. Think of the mercy of God and Paul. We know Paul was a great evangelizer and wrote much of the New Testament. He led many to Christ, but think about his past.
Before his conversion to Christ, Paul arrested, tortured and killed Christians. That was his job! Paul was paid to gather up those who followed Christ. He participated in the killing of Stephen, the first martyr. But God showed him mercy and Paul wrote nearly two-thirds of the New Testament.
Think about Peter denying Jesus; the other disciples hiding in fear; Thomas, the doubter, AND you and me. To me it seems that those of us who require God’s mercy the most, are the ones He uses the most. That great love and mercy sure causes me to want to do better in living my life sold-out for Him.
Perhaps you know someone who turned from a life of self destruction or a hard-stoned criminal whose life was turned around because of God’s Divine Mercy.
Maybe that is you. We don’t have to be defined by our past because God’s Divine Mercy is open to us all. Whether our sins are small or great, the mercy of God is available to all of us. The mercy of God is real! The mercy of God is His love! The mercy of God is the power of the resurrection still working today.
We are NOT our past. May we believe that today. Let’s embrace it. God’s Divine Mercy forgives, forgets and even forges the way to becoming all God destined for us in the first place. Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.
Lamentations 3:22-23 “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning.”