The Good Word about Mercy
By Rev. Kyle Norman
Bible Reading
“Mercy triumphs over judgment.” - James 2:13
I once had a parishioner of mine who lived under the watchful eye of a condemning aunt. Whenever he stepped out of line, or caused some mishap, the aunt would glare in his direction and say, “God will get you for that.” It didn’t matter about the severity of action, or the intent (or non-intent) of the accident. Suffice it to say, this man grew up with a deep-seated picture of God as an angry enforcer. God was that being in the sky who longed to catch him for his spiritual infractions. Thus, despite all the verses pertaining to God’s love, he could not shake the belief that God was out to get him. He lived with the agonizing thought that it was just a matter of time before he would be crushed under some act of divine judgment.
Do you ever feel like God is angry with you? Do you struggle with the assumption that, while God works in love and grace to everyone else, you receive nothing but wrath and vengeance? Why do you think that way?
Many of us find ourselves continually gripped with such fear. We fear that God’s mercy will not be directed to us, and so we put upon ourselves the demands of ‘be better,’ do more,’ or ‘work harder’ in a vain attempt to placate an angry God. After all, this ethic of earning undergirds the world around us. The more we work, the more we earn, the world tells us. But this locks us into an endless cycle of condemnation. What we do is always (or earn) is always betrayed by what we do not, and no matter how hard we try, we can always judge ourselves as insufficient by the metric of our neighbors.
Yes, God is just and righteous, and scripture holds true that there will be a day when God will call all evil to account. A God who is not just is one who is not good. And yet, throughout the gamut of scripture, we also hear the truth of mercy. God continually speaks words of comfort and peace to each of us. In James 2, we read that mercy triumphs over judgment. This good news hearkens back to the promise God makes in Exodus 20, to show mercy to a thousand generations to those who love him. The truth is the Lord’s declaration of mercy speaks louder than any voice within us that speaks a word of judgment. In the battle of judgment versus mercy, mercy always wins. Mercy beats in the heart of God.
God is abundant in mercy and endless in love. In Christ, and through the indwelling Holy Spirit, we can be assured of this reality for our lives. John writes that whenever our hearts condemn us, we can be assured that God is bigger than our hearts. When we struggle to hold faithfully to the promises of mercy, Jesus lovingly reaches out for us. And the Holy Spirit in our lives is an ongoing testimony of his loving hold over us. Because mercy triumphs over judgment, we live in the assurance of everlasting favor.
Intersecting Faith & Life:
Let me ask you again: do you feel that God is angry with you? Is there a voice that speaks condemnation over you? What might it look like for you to listen, instead, to the voice of Jesus? Can you dare to believe the promise that mercy triumphs over judgment and hear that as a declaration about your life?
It does not matter what is in our past, what defines our present, or what mistakes we will inevitably make in the future, we can trust that the Lord’s presence over us is both merciful and loving. This blessed assurance is whispered into our hearts whenever we draw nearer in faith. This is the divine promise so eloquently displayed on the cross. Just think of it: as Jesus hung on the cross, he could have easily released a deluge of divine retribution upon those who crucified him. But instead, he chose to speak words of forgiveness and mercy. The cross beckons us to receive the divine love that overtakes all sin and shame.
If you find yourself condemning yourself, remember that battle has already been won. Mercy triumphs over judgment because the judgment of God has already been executed upon all sin and unrighteousness. There is no more payment or retribution to be received. On the cross, Jesus took the Judgement of the Father. What is more, flowing out of the sacrifice is nothing but divine mercy.
Further Reading:
2 Peter 3:9
What Christians Need to Understand about Mercy
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/jirkaejc
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