In View of Gods Mercy
Romans 12:1 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God - This is your true and proper worship.” NIV
Having the privilege of being involved in people’s lives for over five decades, there is one thing I do know. People are both glorious and complicated. Sometimes we value them and sometimes we don’t, depending on the day and life situation.
The reason I even write this is because every day, and I have a few of them under my belt, I value God’s mercies more. You and I do our best to make good decisions, but we sometimes fail. We want to have good thoughts towards others, but we frequently struggle. In every way we are frail and vulnerable, and it seems at times we simply struggle to be alive. As my good friend and mentor Maureen Christiansen said, “welcome to humanity”.
In any state of reality, we need God’s mercy. We need His mercy not just because we fail but we need His mercy to live this life. Mercy is, “assuming the need of him who is to receive it”. Mercy steps in to supply what is lacking. Mercy is what Jesus did by going to the cross on our behalf. He did what we cannot do, save ourselves. We have no way of making ourselves acceptable to God in our sinful frail state. The act of Jesus removing our sin provided and imparted righteousness (right-standing). He was and is merciful.
David, the psalmist, said it best as he wrote one of the most popular psalms quoted. A psalm written from the perspective of being in a dark place. Ps. 23:1-6. “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever”. NIV
The Apostle Paul began Romans 12 with “in view of God’s mercy”. In the middle of the darkest of valleys it is important to stop and reflect on God’s mercy to you. Doing so will alter our present perspective of life’s events. The truth is that we have life because of his mercy. You and I have done absolutely nothing to earn or deserve God’s mercy is life-giving. Mercy is God’s gift to us!
If your soul is in a desperate and dark place, stop the plummeting and hopeless thinking which dwells on what’s wrong rather than on what’s right. Consider writing a list of the mercies extended to you by God. Those mercies are true and they are your reality. Reflect on Gods mercy and goodness to you all the days of your life. Not a just few days but all of them!
Ps. 23:6 “Surely your goodness (bounty, at ease and favor) and mercy (kindness, favor, and beauty) follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
The Greek definition for the word “follow“ is to run after or hunt and to pursue. Yes, God is chasing you. He is chasing you with an undeserved and indescribable gift, Mercy. Mercy is something you have to open your arms to receive. Mercy is not something you work for, you simply accept it, draw it close and hold it.
Today is the day to surrender your best efforts in an attempt to make your world work. Today is the day you may want to lift your hands and say, “God, I accept your loving and incredible gift of mercy.” The mercy offered to you is because God deeply and faithfully loves you, not because of what you have done, but because of his loving kindness. He knows what we are made of and the battles we fight every single minute of the day.
Many years ago, Dr. James Dobson told a story on one of his podcasts about his son Ryan. This is how the story went to the best of my memory.
Dr. Dobson was charged with taking care of his toddler son Ryan while his wife left the house to take care of errands. Dr. Dobson was intensely engaged in a telephone conversation. In those days the phone had a cord attached to it. While on this phone call his son managed to escape out of the house. When he finished his phone call he realized his son’s absence. In a panic he hurried throughout the house in pursuit of little Ryan. He then went outside to where there was a detached garage. A pickup was parked in the driveway in front of the garage. Low and behold, here was the escapee Ryan. He had climbed up the rear bumper of the pickup and was trying to climb over the tailgate. Dr. Dobson did not want to alarm little Ryan who was high centered on top of the tailgate. His naked chest and tummy on one side of the tailgate and his diapered bottom and legs flailing about on the other side. As he crept up behind his helpless son he could hear Ryan murmuring to himself, “somebody help the boy, somebody help the boy.” Ryan needed mercy. His father stepped in and met the need.
If the cry of your heart is, “somebody help me, somebody help me,” your Father is listening. In fact, his goodness and mercy are in pursuit of you right now. It is up to you to open your arms and heart and receive it.
You are loved!
Having the privilege of being involved in people’s lives for over five decades, there is one thing I do know. People are both glorious and complicated. Sometimes we value them and sometimes we don’t, depending on the day and life situation.
The reason I even write this is because every day, and I have a few of them under my belt, I value God’s mercies more. You and I do our best to make good decisions, but we sometimes fail. We want to have good thoughts towards others, but we frequently struggle. In every way we are frail and vulnerable, and it seems at times we simply struggle to be alive. As my good friend and mentor Maureen Christiansen said, “welcome to humanity”.
In any state of reality, we need God’s mercy. We need His mercy not just because we fail but we need His mercy to live this life. Mercy is, “assuming the need of him who is to receive it”. Mercy steps in to supply what is lacking. Mercy is what Jesus did by going to the cross on our behalf. He did what we cannot do, save ourselves. We have no way of making ourselves acceptable to God in our sinful frail state. The act of Jesus removing our sin provided and imparted righteousness (right-standing). He was and is merciful.
David, the psalmist, said it best as he wrote one of the most popular psalms quoted. A psalm written from the perspective of being in a dark place. Ps. 23:1-6. “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever”. NIV
The Apostle Paul began Romans 12 with “in view of God’s mercy”. In the middle of the darkest of valleys it is important to stop and reflect on God’s mercy to you. Doing so will alter our present perspective of life’s events. The truth is that we have life because of his mercy. You and I have done absolutely nothing to earn or deserve God’s mercy is life-giving. Mercy is God’s gift to us!
If your soul is in a desperate and dark place, stop the plummeting and hopeless thinking which dwells on what’s wrong rather than on what’s right. Consider writing a list of the mercies extended to you by God. Those mercies are true and they are your reality. Reflect on Gods mercy and goodness to you all the days of your life. Not a just few days but all of them!
Ps. 23:6 “Surely your goodness (bounty, at ease and favor) and mercy (kindness, favor, and beauty) follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
The Greek definition for the word “follow“ is to run after or hunt and to pursue. Yes, God is chasing you. He is chasing you with an undeserved and indescribable gift, Mercy. Mercy is something you have to open your arms to receive. Mercy is not something you work for, you simply accept it, draw it close and hold it.
Today is the day to surrender your best efforts in an attempt to make your world work. Today is the day you may want to lift your hands and say, “God, I accept your loving and incredible gift of mercy.” The mercy offered to you is because God deeply and faithfully loves you, not because of what you have done, but because of his loving kindness. He knows what we are made of and the battles we fight every single minute of the day.
Many years ago, Dr. James Dobson told a story on one of his podcasts about his son Ryan. This is how the story went to the best of my memory.
Dr. Dobson was charged with taking care of his toddler son Ryan while his wife left the house to take care of errands. Dr. Dobson was intensely engaged in a telephone conversation. In those days the phone had a cord attached to it. While on this phone call his son managed to escape out of the house. When he finished his phone call he realized his son’s absence. In a panic he hurried throughout the house in pursuit of little Ryan. He then went outside to where there was a detached garage. A pickup was parked in the driveway in front of the garage. Low and behold, here was the escapee Ryan. He had climbed up the rear bumper of the pickup and was trying to climb over the tailgate. Dr. Dobson did not want to alarm little Ryan who was high centered on top of the tailgate. His naked chest and tummy on one side of the tailgate and his diapered bottom and legs flailing about on the other side. As he crept up behind his helpless son he could hear Ryan murmuring to himself, “somebody help the boy, somebody help the boy.” Ryan needed mercy. His father stepped in and met the need.
If the cry of your heart is, “somebody help me, somebody help me,” your Father is listening. In fact, his goodness and mercy are in pursuit of you right now. It is up to you to open your arms and heart and receive it.
You are loved!
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