GREAT EXPECTATIONS

Joel 2:23-32; 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18; Luke 18:9-14

Introduction

God is merciful. Mercy is one of the attributes of God, and that is our focus for the week. Peace be unto you...

Mercy is understood as compassion or forgiveness shown towards someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm. 

Mercy fuels compassion and forgiveness through empathy unto humanity. Mercy puts relationships above personal pride and "I'm right" syndrome and refuses to be offended. Mercy is actually an expression of love as an act of kindness, compassion, or favour. 

"The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness" (Lamentations 3:22-23). 

Most people believe that they have totally messed up to the highest point and that there is no hope. I also hear others who say, "If only you knew what I have done and have been through, then you will know that I could not possibly be what you are asking of me". The question should rather be, "Is there anything that goes beyond God's mercy?" If not, then my dear, no matter where, what, who, or whatever your thoughts are, God is merciful. It is not that, God is able to exercise mercy, but God is merciful - it is who He is, therefore, His mercies endure forever.

After humanity lost God's presence in the Garden of Eden, God's plan to reconcile us stems from His merciful love for us. Knowing that we could not by any means earn our way back to His presence, He made a way through Christ's glorious death on the cross. Remember Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one goes to the father except by Me". Jesus opened the great door to access God's presence to us (Psm. 86:5; Eph. 2:4-5; Titus 3:5).

It is out of mercy that Christ on the cross declared forgiveness over the people saying "they do not know what they do." God's mercy is knit with His forgiveness. 

Therefore, our demonstration of this attribute of God, mercy, as His followers will make the world give glory to our Father in Heaven. Jesus drew our attention to the point that our self-righteousness treats others with contempt (Luke 18:9). Therefore, "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you" (Ephesians 4:31-32). 

The Apostle Paul shares his experience saying, "I am already being poured out as a drink offering" meanwhile, "no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me." With this the apostle explains God's mercy which was available to him, "But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me. So I was rescued from the lion's mouth". He further exhibits mercy on the people as a Christian by saying, "May it not be charged against them!" (2 Timothy 4:16-18).

Being the light of the world is about the demonstration of our mercies unto everyone we come into contact with.

God is never angry at us as people. He is patient or long-suffering towards us. God gets angry at what the sinner does wrong but not at the sinner - there is actually a difference. We are to be angry at sin; but we should be loving toward people, no matter how sinful they are. The mercy of God involves patience. The scripture indicates, "The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever." (Psalms 103:8-9)

The mercies of God also involve His punishment. God does not punish us as we merit but does it out of mercy. So "He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities." (Psalms 103:10) This is a good statement to us as Christians, and that is why we are able to go to His "Mercy Seat" as always.

Beloved, God knows exactly everything that you have ever done, said, or thought of. Even when you think you have kept them in high secret. The Bible says, "And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account" (Hebrews 4:13). That is to say, all things are naked and open before Him. You do not even know yourself as God does, therefore, what are you hiding? You do not even know what you are hiding or hiding from but He does.

In Jeremiah 17:9-10, we learn that the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; Who can know it? It is the Lord that searches the reins of the heart. Now, that is the interesting parable Jesus gives in Luke 18. The prayers of the Pharisee and the tax collector were not judged by God based on just what they said but on how God knows them. It is not according to the iniquities that God deals with us but with loving mercy and kindness as the Bible puts it, "It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed because his compassions fail not" (Lamentations 3:22 KJV).

Conclusion

God is merciful, therefore, precious one, no matter what you have done or who you think you are, He knows you and has great plans for you. Come to Him with your heavy burden and He will give you rest. Amen!

Shalom aleichem...