I cry aloud to the Lord; I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy. I pour out before him my complaint; before him I tell my trouble.
In today’s scriptures, David cries out for mercy as he tells God his complaints and troubles. Let’s consider Hebrews 4:15–16, which tells us how we can obtain God’s great mercy: For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
The prophet Jeremiah also writes of God’s mercy, reminding us that without God’s mercy, we would have been consumed (Lamentations 3:22 NKJV). His mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:23), and I, for one, am glad.
God wants us to ask for mercy, receive it for ourselves, and then extend it to others. This simply means that even though someone may deserve punishment, we can graciously show them mercy instead, just as God shows us.
Take time to breathe in God’s mercy. Believe that He is giving mercy to you, as you have asked Him to do. He is a merciful God. Receive God’s mercy today and do not waste your time feeling guilty about a past sin. Let God’s mercy flow into you and then let it flow out to others.
Prayer of the Day: Father, thank You so much for Your mercy. Help me be gracious to others and extend mercy to them as You have extended it to me.
