Focus: Plea For Mercy

Text: Ps.51:1

"Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions."

In this Scripture David is praying to God for mercy. He is seriously in need of God's mercy. He finds himself in a deep mess and pleads for divine mercy.

Our mess reveals the greatness of God's mercy. It is in our misery that we discover the greatness of the Lord's mercy.

David prays, "Have mercy on ME…" It is a plea for personal mercy. O Lord, I need Your mercy! God has enough mercy stored away for every individual. Your own mercy waits for you. The psalmist says, "The God of MY mercy shall prevent me…" Ps.59:10). There is a parcel of mercy with your name on it. Don't let it go to waste unclaimed! The writer of Hebrews says, "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need" (Heb.4:16). Mercy flows from the throne of grace to whoever approaches it. Esther boldly approached the throne and a scepter held out to her. She found favor and obtained mercy for all the Jews in diaspora.

David did not only pray for mercy, but he also trusted in God's mercy. He says, "I TRUST in the mercy of God for ever and ever" (Ps.52:8). He says, "I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning…" (Ps.59:16). He prays for mercy. He trusts in God's mercy. He sings aloud songs of God's mercy. He says, "Unto thee, O my strength, will I SING: for God is my defence, and the God of MY mercy" (Ps.59:17). He says, "So our eyes WAIT upon the LORD our God, until that he have mercy upon us" (Ps.123:2). He prays for mercy and waits for it. He says, "The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that HOPE in his mercy" (Ps.147:11). He waits for and hopes in God's mercy. Why? Because it is only by God's mercy that we overcome our misery and live above our mess. 

Jude says that we should be "looking for the mercy of Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life" (Jud.1:21). The mercy of Christ ensures and guarantees our ultimate salvation. Looking for the mercy of Jesus Christ implies looking beyond the troubles and tragedies of this life. 

Our story will end in mercy, not in misery. Our mess will not last forever. There is an end to all suffering and pain. Evil will be ended at last. Sorrow will forever disappear. It is interesting to know that our life in Christ will be consummated in mercy because it was commenced in mercy.

Peter says, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath BEGOTTEN us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead" (1Pet.1:3). Mercy gave us a new beginning in Christ, and mercy will also give us a good ending in Him.

Pray for mercy! Trust in the mercy of God! Sing of His mercy! Long for the mercy of God! Wait for it! Be on the lookout for it! Hope for it! It's coming, and as a matter of fact, it has arrived. It's here now. The psalmist says, "Deal with THY servant according unto THY mercy" (Ps.119:124). There is God's mercy for God's servants.

It is personal mercy: "Have mercy on ME."

It is corporate mercy: "Have mercy on US" (Lk.17:13).

It is mercy for a family member: "Have mercy on my SON" (Mt.17:15).

It is mercy for God's anointed and for his seed: "He is the tower of salvation for his king: and sheweth MERCY to his ANOINTED, unto David, and to his SEED for evermore" (2Sam.22:51).

It is mercy for our Miseries and maladies. It is mercy for our Evil-doings and emptiness. It is mercy for Rags and ruins. It is mercy for Conditions and complications. It is mercy for our Yokes and yawning.

*Misery

*Evil-doings

*Rags

*Conditions/complications

*Yokes

Truly, to remedy our malady we need nothing short of the MERCY of God, and to see our lives amazingly and permanently altered by God we need nothing short of His mercy. Seek and receive the mercy of God! Amen!

by Bishop Moses E. Peter