Mercy is God not giving us what His justice requires and what we deserve for breaking His laws.

You and I live in a fallen creation, which is no longer perfect and not even good. Everyone is born in the likeness of Adam with a sinful, rebellious nature. But Jesus Christ loves us so much that He took God’s judgment for our sins and died on the cross. However, He did not stay dead but conquered death and rose again from the grave with a glorified body.

So when we receive Jesus as our Savior and Lord there is mercy for us.

When God gave instructions for building the tabernacle He expressed the requirement for the mercy seat as the place where He would meet with the Israelites and commune with the Israelites.

Exodus 25:¹⁷ And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof.

¹⁸And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat.

¹⁹And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end: even of the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims on the two ends thereof.

²⁰And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be.

²¹And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee.

²²And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.

Definitions

Meet = to encounter; to come into the presence

Commune = intimate communication or rapport

1 cubit = 18 inches

What do God’s words mean to you?

How much mercy do you need?

King David knew God’s mercy.

King David ordered the murder of Bathsheba’s husband, Uriah. (2 Samuel 11)

King David mishandled the rape of his daughter Tamar by his son Amnon. (2 Samuel 13-14)

King David did not reconcile well with his son Absalom who killed Amnon for raping Tamar.

Yet King David said in Psalms 23:⁶Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

34 of the 66 books of the Bible mention mercy. Why do you think mercy is so often mentioned in God’s word to us?

What have you done? Did you know at the time you were breaking God’s law? Jesus does not want you to struggle with guilt. He stands ready to forgive and provide mercy. God’s word says in 1 John 1:⁹If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

At Calvary, William Newell, 1895

1. Years I spent in vanity and pride, Caring not my Lord was crucified,
   Knowing not it was for me He died On Calvary.
   • Refrain:
     Mercy there was great, and grace was free; Pardon there was multiplied to me;
     There my burdened soul found liberty At Calvary.
2. By God’s Word at last my sin I learned; Then I trembled at the law I’d spurned,
   Till my guilty soul imploring turned To Calvary.
3. Now I’ve giv’n to Jesus everything, Now I gladly own Him as my King,
   Now my raptured soul can only sing Of Calvary!
4. Oh, the love that drew salvation’s plan! Oh, the grace that brought it down to man!
   Oh, the mighty gulf that God did span At Calvary!

Our focus – Hebrews 12:¹ Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

² Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Our challenge – Dearly Beloved,

Run with your eyes on Jesus alone!

Run in faith that Jesus loves you, has uniquely designed and created only one you, has a good plan for your life, runs with you and will accomplish His purposes for you and through you!

Run in His strength alone!

Run with your eyes on the prize!

Run with the desire to finish strong!

Run with the desire to finish with your lamp burning!

Run with the expectation of being in His physical presence when you cross your finish line!

Run to His glory alone!

Run and keep on running!

Coach Patti