How much time do you spend thinking about the mercy of God? If you are like me, not enough! God is holy, and His standard for our lives is holiness. (1 Peter 1:15-16; Leviticus 19:2) Not one of us can measure up to that. Every one of us has sinned and fallen short of the standard. (Romans 3:23) The penalty for such failure is death. (Romans 6:23) Those are God’s rules, and if we don’t like them, then we don’t understand what it means to be holy.
Holiness cannot tolerate sin because if it did, that holiness would be lost. (Habakkuk 1:13; Psalm 5:4-5) As sinful beings, we then have no hope of escaping God’s judgment. (Hebrews 9:27; Romans 2:5-6) No hope, that is, except for the mercy of God. He loves us so much that He made a way to deliver us from His just wrath and punishment. (Romans 5:8-9; Ephesians 2:4-5)
God’s mercy is ours not because of anything we do, but because of who He is. (Titus 3:5; Ephesians 2:4-9) We were all rebels, raging against God’s holiness. (Romans 5:10; Colossians 1:21) We wanted (and still desire) to do things our own way, just like impetuous and helpless children. (Isaiah 53:6; Ephesians 2:3)
God has every right and faculty to damn each of us to Hell because of our stubbornness and refusal to acknowledge Him as Lord. (Romans 1:18-21; Romans 2:5) To my utter astonishment and inability to comprehend, the mercy of God overrules the verdict and pulls us into His arms. (Ephesians 2:4-7; 1 Peter 1:3) There we are safe forever. (John 10:28-29; Romans 8:38-39)
Peter writes that “once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” (1 Peter 2:10) Instead of leaving us as unruly and hopeless renegades, He provided His Son to die in our place. (Romans 5:6-8; 1 Peter 3:18) His death atones for all our sins, a perfect substitutionary sacrifice for our transgressions. (Isaiah 53:5-6; 1 Peter 2:24; Hebrews 10:12-14)
What kind of God does that? Only a God whose mercy surpasses all understanding. (Ephesians 2:4-7) He is awesome, and He alone is worthy of our praise and worship. (Revelation 4:11; Revelation 5:12-13) We don’t think enough about the mercy of God. If not for His mercy, we would spend eternity in Hell. (Ephesians 2:3-5; 2 Thessalonians 1:5-9) That’s not hyperbole; it’s reality.
Imagine going through the pain, discouragement, and heartbreak of your life only to discover all of that was like paradise compared to what you would face in eternity. (Matthew 25:46; Revelation 20:15) Except for the mercy of God, there is no hope for anyone; (Titus 3:5-7; 1 Peter 1:3) we would all die in our sins and face the full wrath of His perfect holiness. (John 8:24; Romans 2:5-8) You should shudder at the thought!
Never take what Jesus did for you for granted. The mercy of God provides a way to live eternally with God and for God. (1 Peter 1:3-4) There is hope and deliverance because of His merciful sacrifice on the cross for you and me. (1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 4:10) He pardons, forgives, and frees us from the penalty of sin forever. (Colossians 1:13-14; Romans 8:1) Don’t let the day pass without dropping to your knees and thanking Him for the mercy He lavishes on us.
We are His because He chooses to call us by His name. (1 Peter 2:9-10; Ephesians 1:4-6) Who are we to deserve that? We are nothing and don’t deserve anything but the full punishment for our sin. (Romans 3:10-12; Romans 6:23) Oh, but the mercy of God redeems us. (Titus 3:4-7; Ephesians 1:7-8) Worship Him and live in light of what He has done for you. (Romans 12:1; 1 Peter 2:9)