Enjoy God's Mercy

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I've been given the opportunity to lead the youth group at church through the book The Knowledge of the Holy.  This study, for me, has been an invigorating look at the attributes of our great God.

Last Wednesday we looked at four attributes of God including His mercy.  God's mercy is something with which all Christians should be familiar.  God's mercy is one of the attributes of God that allows us to be on friendly terms with the Holy Uncreated One.

A. W. Tozer, the author of the book, defines mercy as these two things: God's goodness confronting human suffering and guilt; and God's being actively, infinitely and inexhaustibly compassionate.  The definition is an amazing source of hope.  We need God's goodness to confront our suffering and guilt and we would not get that were it not be for God's active, infinite, inexhaustible compassion.

God's mercy is a source of immense hope.  That being said, why don't we enjoy God's mercy more?

For centuries the Church has cried for mercy again and again.  "Kyrie eleison!  Christe eleison!"  "God have mercy!  Christ have mercy!"  The Church has cried again and again for mercy and this is not necessarily a bad thing, nor is this necessarily a good thing.

When we cry for mercy what are we crying for?  If we are crying out for God to continue His purifying work in us; if we are desiring that God be merciful and release us more from the temptation of sin; if these are the reasons, then cry out for mercy.

But, if we the saved Church are crying out for God to save us from the penalty of sin then we are wasting our time.  Faith believes that Christ died for us once and for all.  Faith cries out to be saved from the penalty of sin once and then needs not cry out for this ever again.  When we claim Christ death and resurrection as ours we are guaranteed the mercy of God.  Amen!

Tozer put it this way:
"We may plead for mercy for a lifetime in unbelief, and at the end of our days be still no more than sadly hopeful that we shall somewhere, sometime, receive it.  This is to starve to death just outside the banquet hall in which we have been warmly invited."

This mercy is not to be repeatedly clamored for.  This amazing mercy of God is to be enjoyed today and everyday.  We should dance, sing and shout for joy that we have received God's infinite, inexhaustible compassion.  Cry no more!  We, through the blood of Christ Jesus our Lord, have been freely given the mercy of God.

Enjoy God's mercy today.