Wednesday, 25 June 2008
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Contemplation of Mercy
Holy Father, Thy wisdom excites our admiration, Thy power fills us with fear, Thy omnipresence turns every spot of earth into holy ground; but how shall we thank Thee enough for Thy mercy which comes down to the lowest part of our need - to give us beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and for the spirit of heaviness a garment of praise? We bless and magnify Thy mercy, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. ~ A.W. Tozer, Knowledge of the Holy, Ch. 18 “The Mercy of God”
In discussing the attributes of God, Tozer says of Mercy:
As judgment is God’s justice confronting moral inequity, so mercy is the goodness of God confronting human suffering and guilt. Were there no guilt in the world, no pain and no tears, God would yet be infinitely merciful; but His mercy might well remain hidden in His heart, unknown to the created universe. No voice would be raised to celebrate the mercy of which none felt the need. It is human misery and sin that call forth the divine mercy.
These are my contemplations of Mercy today. Within Tozer’s earlier framework (ch 15) of:
“God’s being is unitary. He cannot divide Himself and act at a given time from one of His attributes while the rest remain inactive. All that God is must accord with all that God does. Justice must be present in mercy, and love in judgment. And so with all the divine attributes.”
Mercy becomes more than just the tag word we use to claim exemption from responsibility from our actions, and reclaims its place as a new revelation in God’s righteousness. Mercy ceases its bland state of overuse and becomes revived with the vibrant colorful flavor of new understanding. It is not, “We’ve already got grace, what do we need the extra word of mercy for?”
It is a realization, continuing from yesterday’s train of thought, of the impact of sin, my sin, which exemplifies the enormity of His glorious gift of Mercy. A.W. says, “For what right do we have to be there? Did we not by our sins take part in that unholy rebellion which rashly sought to dethrone the glorious King of creation? And did we not in times past walk according to the course of this world, according to the evil prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the sons of disobedience? And did we not all at once live in the lusts of our flesh? And were we not by nature the children of wrath, even as others? But we who were one time enemies and alienated in our minds through wicked works shall then see God face to face and His name shall be in our foreheads. We who earned banishment shall enjoy communion; we who deserve the pains of hell shall know the bliss of heaven. And all through the tender mercy of our God, whereby the Dayspring from on high hath visited us.”
I must admit, I have had a deficient grasp of the significance of true Mercy ~ its meaning has oft slipped to the background as one of the spiritual “extras” that I may master some day. As if the gift of Mercy is one I must get my hands around to add that little tag to my Christian resume. My mind has somehow limited its scope to thinking of Mercy narrowly as one of those extraneous accomplishments that would make me a really good person. Instead, refocusing again on His scope of control, on who He is, the perspective shifts to reflect that “We love because HE FIRST LOVED US.” ~ 1 John 4:19. Every aspect of the Christian heart as described by the Apostles is fueled by HIS work in us, by HIS Spirit alive in us – including Mercy. We cannot begin to comprehend true Mercy until we experience it in the depth of our souls for ourselves, flushed with conviction, then flooded with the light of His Mercy. The gift of Mercy comes first from Him.
It is Your work, O Lord, Your will, Your tenderness that brought this heart around to You. I am nothing. I was wretched in my self before You gave Your life to me. A friend said today “Oh no, not me, I am rags!” – perhaps that should be my quote for the day. It was a most endearing saying, and so lovingly clear. Your Mercy I do not deserve, and again, cannot merit. It is who YOU are, O Lord, that I place my confidence in.
As David wrote in the Psalms (see 51, 69, 79, 109, 119), Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions.
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