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“The faithful love of the LORD never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.” – Lamentations 3:22-23 (NLT) The older I get, the more thankful I am for the mercy of God.
I have made mistakes. I have said things I wish I could take back and made decisions that, looking back, I would probably make differently today. I think if we are honest with ourselves, we can all say the same thing.
That is why I am so thankful God is merciful.
We often talk about God’s grace, and we should. Grace is God giving us something we do not deserve. Mercy is closely connected. Mercy is God not giving us what we do deserve.
David understood his need for God’s mercy. After his sin was exposed, he didn’t try to explain himself or make excuses. He simply cried out:
“Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love.” – Psalm 51:1 (NLT)
David understood something we sometimes forget.
Our hope is not based on how good we are. Our hope is based on how good God is.
That doesn’t mean God simply overlooks our sin. God is holy, and sin has consequences. That is why the cross is so important.
God didn’t pretend our sin didn’t exist. Jesus paid for it.
Jesus Christ willingly took the penalty for our sin. He died, was buried, and rose again so eternal life could be offered as a free gift to anyone who simply places their faith in Him.
We don’t earn it. We don’t work for it. We simply receive what Christ has already accomplished for us.
“God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.” – Ephesians 2:8 (NLT)
But I didn’t stop needing God’s mercy when I trusted Christ.
I need His mercy every single day.
There are days when I get things right and days when I don’t. There are times when I respond with patience and grace, and other times when I realize I could have handled something differently.
That is what makes Lamentations 3:22-23 so encouraging. God’s mercies are new every morning.
Think about that.
When you woke up this morning, God’s mercy was already there. Whatever happened yesterday, His mercy is there today. Whatever you face tomorrow, His mercy will be there then.
God’s mercy isn’t dependent upon how well I performed yesterday. It flows from who He is.
But there is another side of mercy that can be much more difficult.
If I am thankful when God shows me mercy, I also need to be willing to show mercy to others.
We want people to understand our mistakes and give us another chance. But when someone disappoints us or hurts us, mercy can suddenly become much more difficult.
Jesus said:
“God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” – Matthew 5:7 (NLT)
Showing mercy doesn’t mean ignoring wrongdoing or eliminating accountability. Sometimes, the truth needs to be spoken clearly.
But I can speak truth and still extend mercy. I can hold someone accountable without trying to destroy them. I can forgive because I remember how much God has forgiven me.
Today, you are carrying something from your past. Perhaps you failed yesterday. Maybe someone failed you.
God’s mercy has not run out. His mercies are new every morning.
We don’t have to live today chained to yesterday. We can rest in what Jesus Christ has already accomplished for us and ask God to help us show that same mercy to others.
I know I need God’s mercy today.
And chances are, someone I encounter today will need a little mercy from me as well. Something to Think About
It is difficult to withhold mercy from others when I remember how much mercy God has shown me.
