Hi how are you today? I am well. I had a busy week last week and this week is shaping up to be the same. I know it will settle soon as it’s only a season. How was your week?
In this blog I want to look at grace and mercy. Sometimes, we Christians, mix up those two words so I want us to go on a journey to discover what they really mean.
Let’s start with mercy. In the Merriam-Webster dictionary there are two meanings of mercy that I want us to consider. They are:
1. compassion, leniency, or restraint (as in imposing punishment) shown especially to an offender or to one subject to the power of another
2. a blessing that is an act of divine favor or compassion
When Jesus died on the cross to forgive us of our sins, I believe these two definitions of mercy were activated.
The forgiveness of the sins for all mankind was a blessing that is an act of divine favour or compassion. God so wanted to be reconciled with His creation that He gave His only Son as an act of divine favour to us. How great is Gods love for us?
Then when we repent of our sins God grants us mercy in the form of compassion, leniency or restraint as we really are the offender and He pronounces us not guilty.
Mercy is always getting what we don’t deserve in the form of forgiveness for our sins.
Psalm 23:6 in the New King James Bible gives us the best description of mercy for our lives. It states:
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
This verse tells me mercy follows me. I don’t have to search for it when I need it, I just need to reach out and take it. Don’t hide from repenting of your sins because mercy is always there.
Let’s look at grace now. In the Merriam-Webster dictionary, there are three definitions of grace I want us to consider. They are:
1. God-given help or kindness
2. a state of acceptance by God : a state of being pleasing to God
3. a God-given virtue
The definition of grace I like best is the free and unmerited favour of God. It is what God grants us so that we can live like Jesus lived. It is the element where God enables us to do what we couldn’t do in the natural. It is Gods help, Gods kindness, Gods acceptance and it is given by God. Grace is what enables me to action my calling.
In 2 Corinthians 12:9a in the New King James Bible, it states:
And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”
When we are weak or think we can’t do what God told us, grace from God empowers us to do it. This is something we need to ask for and then accept.
Mercy is given when we repent; grace is asked for to enable us to live for God.
Now let’s look at Hebrews 4: 16 in the New King James Bible to tie them together. It states:
Let us then approach Gods throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
We need to approach Gods throne of grace – His throne of help and kindness. We will receive mercy and find grace. We don’t receive grace and find mercy. Mercy is received and grace is found.
So this week, let’s come to God daily to receive mercy and find grace.
Bless you and keep living the life God intended.
Karen
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