The More We Use, The More There Is

“For I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever: thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens.” (Ps 89:2 AV)

We have spoken much about the mercy of God.  We have been reminded to accept the mercy of God with humility and gratitude, believing that God loves us and forgives much.  Above, we are reminded that the mercy of God is infinite and is based on His attribute of faithfulness.  The speaker here is the Psalmist.  He is reflecting on God’s blessings to Israel as manifested in the provision of David as their king.  The words above are assumed to be the attitude of David on behalf of the Psalmist.  The Psalmist assumes, correctly so, that David thought and spoke the above words.  This is telling.  David, above everyone else, knew of the mercy of God.  His whole life is a testament to the mercy of God.  Just when he thought he had a handle on life, a challenge or temptation came around the corner.  He failed almost as much as he succeeded.  Every time he did fail, God’s mercy was always there to forgive or encourage.  When David says that mercy is built up forever, he isn’t kidding.

I watched a video the other day on the ballistics property of Oobleck.  Oobleck is an amazing substance.  In its inert state, Oobleck is as viscous as oil.  However, this substance becomes more solid as energy is added.  The more energy, the more it becomes solid.  The host of the video shot several different calibers into this material and it stopped everything he sent downrange.  The host showed, in slow motion so to speak, the nature of this substance.  There was a mess of it on a table.  It poured off the edge of the table as oil would.  He put his hand in the middle of it and it soaked his hand and ran off it.  However, when he punched it as it sat in a bucket, he couldn’t even break the surface.  As he wiped the material off the table, adding the energy of the wiping motion, it turned to a solid.  Then he ran through a bunch of it with his ATV think it might scatter like mud.  Instead, he stuck in between his tire treads like pebbles.  The more energy added, the more resistant it became.

Give that a think. Mercy builds up.  We think of things as being finite amounts.  The more you use, the less there is.  However, David says the more he uses, the more is built up.  This is an amazing thought.  I sin more than anyone else I know.  In our nature, we think the more we sin, the less mercy God has left.  This all depends.  If we are unrepentant, then mercy does run out.  However, no matter how much we sin, if we are repentant, not only do we receive the mercy we need at the moment, but the mercy of God is replenished and increased.  WOW!  What a truly merciful God we serve.  I cannot fathom the mercy of God.  That He would show mercy at all is beyond my understanding.  But, to add to that thought the reality that God adds to His mercy every time we ask for it, is something beyond human understanding.  Truly mind-blowing.  What should happen the more we accept this truth is a motive to make repentance more effective.  Knowing God will shower upon us mercy, we should be motivated to ask for it less.  Praise God for His mercy!