be merciful
“Son of David, have mercy on me”
Mark 10:47
i want you to think about the word “mercy” for a moment and try to recollect those days when you were in a situation so dangerous and helpless, and had it not been the mercy of God that rescued you, you would not be what you are today. Pause, think and ponder for sometime about this majestic mercy of God that saved you that day.
We remember how Bartimaeus cried out at the top of his voice “Son of David, have mercy on me” (Mark10:47). Imagine the desperate situation that Bartimaeus was in, begging Jesus to stop and give audience to him. Suddenly the Lord of all mercies stopped and called him. I believe that moment all angels and the heavens stopped to pin-drop silence, and Jesus, full of mercy and compassion, called Bartimeus and healed him right there.
The word “mercy”in the Scripture comes from the Hebrew word “chesed” which is also translated into lovingkindness, unfailing love, compassion and mercy. William Barclay in his Daily Study Bible said, “The Hebrew word for mercy is chesedh; and it is an untranslatable word. It does not mean only to sympathise with a person in the popular sense of the term; it does not mean simply to feel sorry for someone in trouble. Chesedh, mercy, means the ability to get right inside other people until we can see things with their eyes, think things with their minds and feel things with their feelings.”
Friends, we are now living at the mercy of God for it is His mercy alone that sustains us in this world. God is showing and extending his mercy to humanity and the whole creation before the departure of the church because it’s his will that all should come to repentance and be saved. Of course he would have just shut the door of mercy just like that, but no, he is not that kind of God. His mercy is greater than our sins. That’s why in his mercy is calling us in the name of Jesus to come to repentance and accept his love and forgiveness.
This is also the time of opportunity to demonstrate the mercy of God in our life to those who are oppressed, exploited and less privileged who are crying silently for food, comfort, shelter and living. We are shown mercy so we ought to return that mercy to others who deserve it. Because God’s mercy does not end with us but it should flow to others who need it.
In the Beatitudes, Jesus said, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” (Matt. 5:7) This is the expectation of Jesus from his disciples. Every disciple who has experienced the saving grace of the blood and the mercy of God is obliged to show mercy in turn to other helpless and poor souls. We need to be the channel of mercy in this world. The world is longing to see the mercy of God and it is through the lifestyle of the disciples of Christ only this divine mercy can be seen.
The mercy of God flows through the life of Bob Pierce to millions of people especially children living in poverty across the world and many of these souls are restored to a life of dignity and respect. We thank God for such people as George Mueller, Florence Nightingale, Heidi Baker, Mother Teresa whose life and ministry has helped the world of humanity to see Mercy in person. Hundreds and thousands of men, women and children came to know God because of this mercy operating through the life of these great people of God.
Because of the cross of Jesus Christ, mercy rejoices against judgment (James 2:13), mercy is rejoicing, mercy triumphs. We all as believers and disciples of Jesus Christ ought to show mercy to others without any partiality, no matter what. God’s mercy is beyond our understanding. You and I are what we are today because of his unspeakable mercy. Father, have mercy on me! Amen.
