Praise God For His Mercy

“To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him;” (Da 9:9 AV)

 

This statement is part of Daniel’s prayer as he seeks to understand the timing of all that he has seen.  His visions began with Nebuchadnezzar many decades earlier.  He saw several visions regarding large kingdoms that would control or conquer Israel.  This all culminated with the reign of the Messiah.  Now, he seeks from God the timing of it all.  This pursuit is what brings the revelation of the seventy weeks; an oft-discussed topic in most bible colleges today.  The revelation came at a deep cost to Daniel.  He spent a great deal of time confessing his sin and the sin of his nation.  He prefaces the answer to his riddle in the reality of God’s forgiveness and mercy.  He understood the meaning of the last kingdom; that of Christ; and framed it in the truth of God’s forgiveness.  He knew the coming of the Messiah was the ultimate expression of the mercy of God.  Even though Israel would cause God much heartache, the mercy He promised would not be canceled.  The gratitude at the mercy of God is the foundation for the Father to grant Daniel understanding.  Let us praise the LORD for His wonderful forgiveness and mercy!

I have a granddaughter who is just like her father.  She has a temper and she can allow her spirit to easily spiral out of control.  It may be she does not feel well.  It may be that she is cutting teeth.  Perhaps she didn’t get enough quality sleep.  Whatever the cause, her spirit can get the better of her.  One morning, a few weeks ago, she was having one of those mornings.  The inclination is the chasten such an angel.  She was throwing fits and being very demanding of her mother.  I picked her up and held her tightly.  She screamed and cried.  I didn’t chasten her.  I didn’t lose my cool.  I simply looked at her had shared soothing words to her so that she could learn that everything was going to be all right.  As I held her tightly, she fought against the restriction.  However, slowly she yielded to it and then learned that someone had her world under control. She was in total rebellion even though she didn’t know why nor had a valid reason.  It was in her nature.  Being kind and patient is what she needed.  She did not need a reaction in kind.

It is our nature to be contrary to the will of God.  That is who and what we are.  When the LORD says ‘do thus’ we find every reason not to.  When He tells us not to, we do anyway.  This is our human nature.  We inherited it from Adam and perpetuate it by our own choices.  Praise the LORD for His patience and mercy.  We would all be destroyed if it wasn’t for that mercy.  Praise the LORD God gives chance after chance.  Praise the LORD He never gives up on us even though we repeatedly disobey.  Praise the LORD for His wonderful mercy and forgiveness towards His children.  I will never understand it.  My prayer is that we are always grateful for it, we do not presume upon it, and by it, we confess speedily and deeply.  Praise the LORD for His wonderful grace towards the children of men.