“For the Lord will not cast off for ever: But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.” (La 3:31-32 AV)
Sometimes, it is easy to forget that God’s mercies are limitless. We have lived with parents, teachers, government, and even society that are limited in their mercies. Mankind is not without impatience. He will not tolerate us without some sort of limits. God is not like this. He is infinite in mercy and grace. Or, it is better stated, God has limitless mercy and grace even though He is not obligated to exercise them. Understanding limitless grace and mercy balanced with God’s will to offer them is key to understanding our walk with Him. The LORD will not be used. He will not be taken for granted. The LORD is not required to allow His creation to live presumptuously. We don’t want to be discouraged. We simply want to be honest. God’s mercies are without limit. These mercies, however, may be contingent on our willingness to repent and forsake. This is certainly the case of Israel. They have yet to be completely committed to God for any extended period of time. Yet the covenants remain in force. That is mercy!
To say that I don’t understand the compassion of God would be an understatement. This world is very short on it. It seems as though the farther our world strays from God, the less compassion there is. Just to other day I was driving five miles over the speed limit. I was driving in the left lane while passing slower traffic in the right lane. This wasn’t good enough for an aggressive driver who was tailing me. As soon as it was safe to do so, I moved over. Then, I immediately went behind him. Not a second later, we had to stop at a red light. He was clapping at me through his rearview mirror. No compassion! No patience! A week ago, we were in the supermarket. An elderly lady in a cart was trying to shop. People were going around her with a disgruntled look or word. No compassion. No patience. A few weeks back, there was a drive by. Neighbors began to talk. “Not surprised”, they said. Considering the people and habits of the inhabitants. No compassion. No patience. No doubt, most of what happens we bring about by our own actions. Irresponsible behavior, ungodly desires, ignorance, or poor planning all play a part in the circumstances of life. It is also interesting how much others expect forgiveness and mercy without extending it themselves. Praise the LORD that He is not like us. So, when the word of God teaches us that God is limitless in grace and mercy, it is hard to understand.
There is a better question to be asked here. Knowing what the word of God says, what should we do? There are several appropriate responses. The first would be to trust what the LORD tells us even though we have nothing to which to compare. Next, we can show gratitude by fleeing the behavior that requires His mercy and forgiveness. If we would forsake our foolishness, He wouldn’t have to show grace. Next, we can allow that same spirit to work out in our own hearts. If God is merciful and gracious to us, then we ought to be the same to others. Lastly, we should take comfort in the promise. Stop letting the adversary convince us we are beyond God’s mercy. If God can and will restore Israel, then today’s saint still has hope. God does forgive. God does reconcile. God does restore. This is the heart of God.
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