Mercy triumphs over judgment

Resolving Personal &
Spiritual Conflicts

Lamentations 3:22 It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. Perhaps you have done something terribly wrong and you are wondering whether God has any mercy for you. Be assured that He has compassion on you every day. In fact, His mercy is the only reason for continuing to exist even after doing that terrible thing. He knows all about your secret sins but He chooses to forgive you and to forbear with you so that you are not consumed with His judgment. Recall this to mind and you will always have hope.

Lamentations 3: 22-23, “It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning, great is thy faithfulness.” Did you hear that? Two truths are worth digesting from these scriptures. Firstly, we are not destroyed because of God’s mercy and not because of our goodness or righteousness. Secondly, His compassions fail not as they are renewed every morning. You have a daily allowance of mercy from God. And this means each day you must repent of your sins in order to receive His mercy. Repentance is necessary for continual granting of mercy.
There is a powerful marriage between divine justice and mercy. God is not only a loving and caring  father, but He is also a righteous and fair judge. He is so just that no sin goes unpunished. At the same time, God is also so merciful that His judgments are tempered with mercy. In fact, His mercy triumphs over His judgments. In other words, God chooses to show more grace than wrath in His dealings with people in this fallen world. This is a secret about God that you will do well to keep in your heart.

The whole world is at the mercy of God. He sends rain to both the righteous and the unrighteous. He gives light to both the wicked and the righteous. If God was a judge who walked around with a whip to punish everyone who commits sin then this world would have been destroyed long back. It is not that He lacks the capacity to destroy the whole world at once. He does have the capacity. In fact He once destroyed the whole creation with a great flood and saved only Noah and his family (Genesis 6). After such a display of His wrath God was moved with compassion for His creation and He promised never to destroy His creation like that again. To this day, a rainbow appears whenever heavy rains come as a sign of God’s covenanted promise never to destroy the world with water again. This shows that this world continues to exist not because of righteousness but because of God’s mercy.

God is capable of judging unbelievers once and for all in this world but His mercy has caused Him to forbear and postpone final judgment to the end of time. The reason for this divine delay is mercy. 2 Peter 3:9 says, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” Divine judgment is delayed so that every sinner may have the time to repent and be saved. However, when the end comes, those who would not have taken advantage of the delay to repent and be saved will justifiably incur eternal damnation in hell.
King David had committed a terrible sin and God wanted to judge him for his sin. He put before him three options two of which involved being punished by human hands and one involved being punished by the divine hand. David chose to fall into God’s hands saying it is better to fall into God’s hands because people have no mercy. It was him who later wrote, “If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared” (Psalms 130:3-4). You see, instead of judging you every time you sin, God rather shows mercy.

If God could show mercy to Cain, the first cruel and arrogant murderer by putting a mark of protection on him so no one could kill him, how much more mercy can he show you for whom Christ died? You are living under a superior covenant which shows more divine mercy and grace than divine wrath and justice. But you should always remember one thing: divine mercy and forbearance are meant to lead you to repentance from sin. If you choose to remain wayward then you will pass the boundary of God’s mercy and the day of judgment is set for the finally unrepentant. Remember: judgment delayed is not judgement denied but if you receive God’s ultimate object of mercy, Christ Jesus, you will pass from judgment unto life.

In your personal life you are to imitate your heavenly father by showing more mercy than justice. Instead of giving people the justice they deserve, give them the mercy they do not deserve. That is more honourable.
– Feedback call 0772889766 or e-mail:  mairos78@yahoo.co.uk