[Honu - Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle]
This post concerns itself with God's mercy as well as what it means to be merciful. In particular, what mercy is and how mercifulness may differ from mercy (or acts of mercy.)
While browsing my photographs to use in this article, it occurred to me that a few years ago a very unmerciful and cruel and senseless act against one of the protected and endangered Honu on Oahu, Hawaii, created an outcry among locals. These gentle sea turtles often come to shore to rest awhile and to feed on some of the algae found there (as shown in my photograph above). Someone (or perhaps more than one person) slaughtered one of these protected turtles. These gentle creatures have become use to the presence of man at the beaches where they come to rest. They grew to trust and to not fear people.
It makes me want to cry at such cruelty and senseless evil. But what is also evil is how man treats other people at times.
"Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful." - Jesus at Luke 6:36
[Turtle Beach (Laniakea Beach) - North Shore, Oahu]
"The world of natural man is by no means predominantly a merciful world. ' The tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.' Not everything which passes for kindness, not everything which is kindness, is mercy. " So the Biblical Illustrator Bible Commentary explains. Following will be a partial or, rather, an abbreviated, quote from that commentary on what true mercifulness entails.
"Mercy, as men count it, may be all "outside", no heart in it, or may take its rise from wrong or unworthy motives; while mercifulness must go down to the inner springs of actions, not stop short of guiding principles; have its roots in sound and holy motives. It deals with the quality of the deed rather than the quantity. ..... Mercifulness is what we are and what we do.
"True mercifulness is a characteristic of those who hunger and thirst after righteousness and they alone will be merciful in God's way....seeking not to please themselves but to do His will. ..... True mercifulness is always guided by meekness. It is exercised towards those who have ill requitted our kindness, and are undeserving of our mercy. True mercifulness can only be felt by those who have learned to mourn their sin, and in repentance turned unto God, and so have a fellow feeling with those who sin, and long to rescue them."
What about the mercifulness of God as seen in Christ? The Biblical Illustrator commentary reminds us that Christ was merciful to all! Jesus' mercifulness "was provident, thoughtful, wise - seeking the real good of men..... His mercifulness is unchanging. Time does not wear it out, nor years weaken it. He was merciful even as He loved, unto the end."
Speaking of Jesus, Hebrews 7:24-25, has this to say: "But this man, because He continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood, Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them."
"How much more shall the blood of Christ, Who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this cause He is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance." - Hebrews 9:14-15
Here is a wonderful hymn about the mercy of God! It is based on Psalm 51.
Back to the Biblical Illustrator Bible Commentary, it compares Jesus' mercifulness to ours:
"Jesus' mercifulness always kept God's glory in view, and ours so often centering about self. HIS is a mercifulness shown towards those who were ever seeking His heart, and ours so easily quenched by the first appearance of ingratitude. His a mercifulness that recognized sin as the source of every man's misery, and ours so indifferent to the deepest needs of the men and women around us. His a mercifulness that stooped to help, that touched as well as pitied, and ours always bestowed with a gloved hand, and at a safe distance...... Believe me, it is time for us to learn that true mercifulness is discriminating, thoughtful, wise. His a mercifulness that is always the same; ours so fitful, uncertain, unreliable. His mercifulness that cost Him self-sacrifice; ours a doing or giving that will not even cost us a thought. His a mercifulness that permeated the whole man in every thought, and word, and deed; ours so superficial, so unreal, our thoughts often breathing harsh judgment upon others, our actions marked by so little consideration of those about us or below us to whom we might be merciful."
There is much more wonderful information to be found concerning mercy and mercifulness at the Biblical Illustrator Bible Commentary. Search for it on the Web !
The bottom line is: We should endeavor to be as much like Christ as we possibly can. We will never attain perfection this side of heaven, but the good Lord expects us to have that as an ultimate goal. (1 Peter 1:16). If we don't aim to be Christ-like now, maybe we are not truly saved; maybe we won't make it to heaven. You must be born again (a spiritual rebirth) in order to enter heaven.
"Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." - John 3:3
Following are Salvation Scriptures for those of you who may not have surrendered your life to the Lord. Some of you may not know the way of salvation. You must realize that Jesus died to pay your sin debt in full; His shed blood on the cross can wash you clean ! He was the sacrificial Lamb of God Who Redeemed those who will turn to Him in faith, believing that He is the Savior and the only way to heaven. You must repent of your sins with a sorrow that is real and sincere and pray with all of your being that you wish to be forgiven and thereby give your life in faith to the Savior.
"He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." - John 3:36
"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me." - John 14:6
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life." - John 3:16
May the good Lord bless you now and always!
Have a Christ-centered weekend - and life !
