Before my redemption in Christ, I viewed God as the fire breathing, noisy, condemning, fearful, vindictive “face” of the wizard of OZ. However, through my time of searching for a Savior, God revealed to me that He is actual as benevolent as the little man behind the curtain who was programming the pretend wizard.
God’s Word does show us the God of justice, and the God who cannot dwell with sin. However, it also reveals the long-suffering patience of the Lord, who desires that no one should perish in eternal damnation, but that every person ever born would enjoy eternity on the new earth and in Heaven with Him (Revelation 21:1-3; 2 Peter 3:8-10).
The Bible also talks about both His mercy and grace. There is a subtle difference between these two words that is important to understand. God bestows His grace on us due to His gallant generosity. We rarely ask for it and absolutely do not deserve it, but He freely gives it to us because of the sacrifice Jesus made for us all (Romans 8:32-35; Ephesians 2:8-10; 2 Corinthians 12:8-10).
Grace manifests in our life through salvation, sanctification, and eventually glorification. God favors us with His grace when He saves us and gives us victory over sin, hears our prayers, daily works on our behalf, and gives us His Spirit to guide and comfort us. God’s grace is sufficient for us to overcome any setback we suffer in life (2 Corinthians 12:9).
God gives us His mercy through His loving kindness and compassion for us. He has the power and right to punish us for our unholy thoughts, words, and actions, but He became man through Jesus Christ to pay our sin-debt for us.
When we hide or deny our sin, we do not prosper; but when we renounce and walk away from our carnal practices, God showers us with mercy (Proverbs 28:13). We admit to our need for a Savior through Jesus Christ and forsake our ways, and God freely forgives our transgressions of His laws (Isaiah 55:7; Romans 8:32).
Many die in our inherited sin because of the choices of the first Adam as well as our own choices (John 3:18); but due to the choices of the second Adam, Jesus Christ, those who humbly submit to Him find mercy through His death on Calvary’s cross (1 Corinthians 15:45-49; Romans 5:15).
Then, we are free to enjoy the grace and love of God, as well as the fellowship of His Spirit (2 Corinthians 13:14). God’s grace is sufficient for us to overcome any setback we suffer in life. His mercy endures forever and is new for us every single morning (Lamentations 3:22-25).
Prayer:
Father God, we come boldly to Your throne, because we always need Your mercy and grace in our life (Hebrews 4:16). We all need You to open our eyes to see the wonderful truth of Your instructions (Psalm 119:18). The whole earth is Yours, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to You — including the unsaved masses. May these people understand the depth of Your love for them today (Psalm 24:1).
The Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And You, who knows all hearts, know what the Spirit is saying, for He pleads for Believers in harmony with Your own will (Romans 8:26-27 NLT). Gracious God, I come boldly to your throne. I need your mercy and grace in my life (Hebrews 4:16). Lord, I need you every moment of the day. Thank You for opening my eyes to see the wonderful truths in Your biblical instructions (Psalm 119:18).
Thoughts for the Day:
Grace and mercy are often granted to us at the same time. God could abandon us, but His gracious and merciful love is patient with us (Nehemiah 9:31). We do not earn our salvation through righteous acts, but by the washing of regeneration and our rebirth by God’s Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5). In the depths of our suffering, we cry out to Him, and He is attentive to our voice and showers us with His mercy (Psalm 130:1-2).
