“Have mercy upon me, O God,
According to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender
mercies, Blot out my transgressions.” (Psalm 51:1 NKJV)
There seems to be a lot of
confusion of what grace is and what mercy is. Are they the same and if not what
is the difference? Some say Mercy is not getting what you do
deserve. And Grace is getting what you don't
deserve. How confusing! Isn’t that really the same? To
NOT receive something IS to receive something else. If I deserve to go to jail
but the judge lets me go free, isn’t me being set free mercy? Mercy, isn’t
going to jail, but the ONLY alternative is to be set free.
It
truly goes much deeper than just that. Grace is more of a disposition of God.
And Mercy is His love that is given as an action from His grace.
Rex
Andrews says… [1]”In
the Old Covenant we have shown quite clearly the grouped oneness of the words,
Grace, Mercy, and Compassion. Each of these words has a shade of meaning all of
its own. Yet each is a part of the others. Grace is, particularly, what a welcoming
smile indicates. It is GRACE which a little child watches for in your face.
Grace is described often in the Old Covenant by some form of the phrase, “face
toward” anyone. And in the Lord, Grace is the FACE of LOVE. Compassion is that
which takes place within as a desire to help, share, and suffer with another.
It is Love MOVING to surround another and impart of one’s own life to bear his
trouble or sin. MERCY is the supply of any Need. It is the actual DOING of
what Grace favors and Compassion generates a motion toward. Grace is
Love smiling and giving. MERCY is WHAT is given: Salvation. By Grace
are ye saved – that is, MercIED with Life. And that REVEALS what the true love
of God is in itself. That Love IS a love of lowliness and mercy: Grace
ministering Mercy. Mercy is Salvation – LIFE.”
[1]“These three words are apart of each other - one spirit - three views of the same
thing: LOVE in expression.” They are all part of God’s Love.
Ephesians 2:8-9 says "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.
In reference to being set free from going to jail, and in light of this scripture, For by Grace [judge having favor on you] you have been set free from the compassion that has moved him to have such mercy [the decision to let you go]. Grace is the judges favor on you. Compassion is his emotion. Mercy is the act of letting you go!
Today, go and show others
the same love that has been given to you. Do it with compassion and a joyful
heart. Ask God to put that in you.
[1] “What The
Bible Teaches About Mercy” by Rex B. Andrews
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