“Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink: let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters.” (Ps 69:14 AV)
This morning, as I awoke from my slumber, as I usually do, I began to pray. In that prayer, there was also meditation. As the Spirit led me to muse, a thought permeated my soul. That thought being, why wouldn’t someone as guilty of sin as I, want to suffer for my sin? I deserve it, don’t I? Why wouldn’t any honest and humble person think it right to escape all that he has earned? My mind went to a scenario wherein I was convicted of some heinous crime for which I was truly guilty. Why wouldn’t I think I should escape life in prison? Wouldn’t the humble person accept his punishment and take it with a quiet and meek spirit? Wouldn’t he go silently off to his cell knowing no matter how difficult life might be, he deserved far worse? Then my mind went to the severity of eternal judgment. At least a prison cell is constrained by time. No matter how awful that situation might be, the prisoner is eventually freed by life or by death. He either dies in prison, or his sentence is fulfilled. Not in hell. This cosmic horror goes on for all of eternity. There is no escape. My mind when even further as directed by the Spirit and the question of the need of such severity as opposed to annihilation entered my mind. Why not be merciful to condemned souls and simply eradicate them? Why such a horrible existence that never ends? Then one simple phrase from the Spirit of God came to my heart. God is just. To end such torment would not be justice. It would be mercy.
So, those who are confronted with the reality of eternity must ask themselves, do you desire to suffer for all of eternity for all that you have done, gaining some sort of satisfaction from this, even though it would be fleeting? Or, do you want the mercy of God which you do not deserve that will render an escape from this horrible and eternal reality? Yesterday, we were knocking on doors. We met a nice lady who was not doing so well. She was obviously very ill from the choices of life she had and was making. The topic of eternal hell came up, and she, like so many, made light of it. She said she wasn’t going to hell because she know a lot of people there and they would kick her out. She implied that she was too evil even for hell. A few weeks back, we met a young man who also joked about eternal judgment. He said he knew he was going to hell and was looking forward to it. These types of people are simply avoiding an uncomfortable thought. They don’t want to think about it lest they confess and get right with God. However, others definitely know they are condemned and welcome it. They know how wicked they are and believe the only peace they will ever have is to suffer for it. They refuse the mercy of God because pride tells them that cannot accept it. They are simply too wicked. How sad.
What is true for eternity can also be true in life. God does not limit mercy to an eternal application. He desires to show mercy in this life as well. Our writer was seeking relief from reproach for his sin. He was suffering public humiliation for choices that he had made which affected both himself and his nation. He was totally embarrassed over what he had done. Again, some would welcome the humiliation and go off into life, never being able to overcome it. This is pride. Not David. He knew he deserved every bit of what was happening. He never refused it. What he did seek was mercy. He was not seeking an escape from all that he deserved. Simply, he sought forgiveness and mercy that God may commune again with him and that he might be used for the glory of his gracious God. Too many saints live in a condition of perpetual self-condemnation. They allow pride or the devil, or both, to keep them in a state of defeat. Humility will accept mercy and reconciliation. Humility is manifested by usefulness. To stay in a state of torture because we believe we deserve nothing less is a prideful reaction to failure. Refusing mercy is nothing more than pride. If we can accept the mercy of God for our eternal souls, then we can accept the mercy of God for our temporal lives.
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