October 19
Tender Mercies
Remember, O Lord, Your tender mercies and Your loving kindnesses,
For they are from of old.
Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions;
According to Your mercy remember me,
For Your goodness’ sake, O Lord. ––Psalm 25:6-7 NJKV
If you grew up in church you probably remember your teacher or leader explaining the difference between grace and mercy:
Mercy is God not giving us what we deserve. It’s like a pardon for offenses committed.
Grace is God giving us what we don’t deserve. It’s like receiving an unearned gift.
Grace we grasp:
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. ––Ephesians 2:8-9
I’ve heard a lot of great sermons about the grace of God, but not as many about His mercy. I think that’s because the purpose of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection was the Father’s grace to gift us with salvation. In other words, His love opened the way for grace to redeem us through Jesus.
For me, God’s mercy is a bit more nuanced. At its core, it’s God withholding His wrath for our sins. However, the enemy wants to convince you that when temporal factors cause pain and misery, it’s God’s wrath upon us. How many times have horrible tragedies popped up on our news feeds, and well-meaning victims said, “Where is God? Why would He allow this?” Now, I want to be sensitive to those who have been through terrible tragedies. I am NOT downplaying or dismissing the horrible pain or saying that it’s not okay to question the reasons.
But again, man of God, hear me clearly: God does not punish or curse His children. (He disciplines us to grow and mature us, but does not punish us.) He did not cause the missile to hit the apartment complex in the war zone, killing innocent people. He was not the one who flew the airplanes into the Twin Towers, or cause the latest assassination or school shooting. Those terrible acts were ungodly ones—caused by the world, fallen men, or by Lucifer and his demonic realm. (Or a combination of all three.)
So what do we do with mercy? I believe it’s helpful and healthy to think of mercy as a divine dividend of our relationship with Jesus. God is the same today as He was when He wiped Sodom and Gomorrah off the face of the earth. He is still a loving but jealous God who has clearly shown us how to remain under His umbrella of grace. Jesus articulated this: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). That’s it. Not through Buddhism, Hinduism, or any other ism.
Sure, those who don’t know Jesus can also receive God’s mercy here on earth, but He does so to demonstrate His love for the lost so they might recognize the source of the mercy, and turn to Jesus. Once we die, that is when grace and mercy are fully activated: The Lamb’s Book of Life lists those who have come to a loving knowledge of Jesus as Savior. As harsh as it sounds, it’s pure Bible: Those who do not receive God’s grace of salvation on earth do not receive His mercy in the afterlife.
Like today’s verse, His mercies here on earth can be tender—for those who know Christ, and for those who yet know Him. Our role as His men is to emulate both the grace AND mercy of Jesus, who said it like this: “ The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (1 Peter 3:9).
Jesus repeatedly demonstrated mercy, including with the woman at the well, the woman caught in adultery, and the tax-collector Zacchaeus. Likewise, we are driven to extend mercy so that others may receive His eternal grace. That’s a bold vision, and one worth living for.
Father, thank You for both Your grace and mercy in my life. I live in Your grace so I might have compassion toward those who are hurting, and those who do not yet know Jesus. May I be Your “hands and feet” of grace and mercy on earth.
Bike Micargi
**neuro genica**
neuro genica is a dietary supplement formulated to support nerve health and ease discomfort associated with neuropathy.
**cellufend**
cellufend is a natural supplement developed to support balanced blood sugar levels through a blend of botanical extracts and essential nutrients.
**prodentim**
prodentim is a forward-thinking oral wellness blend crafted to nurture and maintain a balanced mouth microbiome.
Great article, thank you for sharing these insights! I’ve tested many methods for building backlinks, and what really worked for me was using AI-powered automation. With us, we can scale link building in a safe and efficient way. It’s amazing to see how much time this saves compared to manual outreach. https://seoexpertebamberg.de/
**revitag**
revitag is a daily skin-support formula created to promote a healthy complexion and visibly diminish the appearance of skin tags.
Great article, thank you for sharing these insights! I’ve tested many methods for building backlinks, and what really worked for me was using AI-powered automation. With us, we can scale link building in a safe and efficient way. It’s amazing to see how much time this saves compared to manual outreach. https://seoexpertebamberg.de/
Such a thoughtful and well-researched piece. Thank you.
I like how you presented both sides of the argument fairly.
You’ve clearly done your research, and it shows.
This was incredibly useful and well written.
I agree with your point of view and found this very insightful.
This was really well done. I can tell a lot of thought went into making it clear and user-friendly. Keep up the good work!
Your content never disappoints. Keep up the great work!
You’re doing a fantastic job with this blog.
This made me rethink some of my assumptions. Really valuable post.
You’ve built a lot of trust through your consistency.
Keep educating and inspiring others with posts like this.
This content is really helpful, especially for beginners like me.
Your thoughts are always so well-organized and presented.
Your breakdown of the topic is so well thought out.
Your writing always inspires me to learn more.
I’ve bookmarked this post for future reference. Thanks again!
Great job simplifying something so complex.
This was really well done. I can tell a lot of thought went into making it clear and user-friendly. Keep up the good work!
Thank you for the auspicious writeup It in fact was a amusement account it Look advanced to more added agreeable from you By the way how could we communicate
Your writing is like a breath of fresh air in the often stale world of online content. Your unique perspective and engaging style set you apart from the crowd. Thank you for sharing your talents with us.
Great article! I really appreciate the way you explained everything so clearly – it feels like you put a lot of effort into making it useful for readers. I’ve been exploring different tools and resources myself, and recently started using https://websiteerstellenlassenbamberg.de/ by Abdul, professional webdesigner in bamberg. It’s been a game changer for me, and reading your post actually gave me even more ideas on how to apply it. Thanks for sharing such valuable insights!
Great article, thank you for sharing these insights! I’ve tested many methods for building backlinks, and what really worked for me was using AI-powered automation. With us, we can scale link building in a safe and efficient way. It’s amazing to see how much time this saves compared to manual outreach. https://seoexpertebamberg.de/
**memorylift**
memorylift is an innovative dietary formula designed to naturally nurture brain wellness and sharpen cognitive performance.