By Hear, Lord, and be merciful to me, be my help (Psalm 30:10).
For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy (Romans 9:15-16)
The standard definition of mercy is: compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one’s power to punish. Applying this to God’s mercy, it simply means that He withholds from us what we really deserve.
Lamentations 3:21-23 says, “This I recall to mind, therefore I have hope. It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness.” Every morning that we arise from our sleep- His mercy is available to us. By the way, that also means that if He forgave us yesterday He is not going to bring up yesterday’s mistakes today.
God’s mercy is absolutely awesome! Due to the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross, God forgives our sins completely and forgets them willingly. Note how the Psalmist stated what God does for us:
He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord (Psalm 40: 2-3).
God’s mercy has no bounds. It is higher than our reach- beyond our understanding. Psalm 108:4 says, “For thy mercy is great above the heavens…” Psalm 119:64 declares, “The earth, O Lord, is full of thy mercy: teach me thy statutes.” His mercy is great enough to reach all of us who simply ask for His mercy.
Truly, it is amazing that God who created us also has the power to destroy us. He has the power, but instead He shows His mercy to us. I want His mercy, don’t you? God’s mercy- if we will be honest- we all want it.
Dave Snyder is an Ordained Bishop with the Church of God – Cleveland, Tennessee. Before entering the ministry on a full-time basis, he was a school teacher. He also coached middle school basketball for eight years.
Dave and his wife, Sara, have two children — Craig and Karen. They also have one ten year old granddaughter — Breanna.
Dave and Sara pastored in West Virginia for thirty-six years. Sara is now retired from the banking industry, and Dave is retired from pastoring. However, Dave currently serves as prison Chaplain for the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
Writing essays, articles, and devotionals is a real passion for Dave. He also enjoys playing musical instruments and singing.
by leaps and bounds 