"Mercy"

"It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.  They are new every morning: great is your faithfulness."  Lamentations 3:22,23

For the last several days the song, "Mercy Came Running", has been on my mind and heart.  Mercy is an attribute of God.  It is like grace, it isn't earned or deserved.  Most people never give a thought to mercy.  They never think about it being because of God's mercy that they woke up this morning, have a job to go to, had food to eat, clothes to wear, have a sound mind, or any other good thing that is in their lives.  You have heard the expression, "Living on borrowed time"?  Well, we are living on Mercy. 

Mercy is defined as- mercy, charity, clemency, grace, leniency, a disposition to show kindness or compassion;  mercy implies compassion that forbears punishing even when justice demands it.

It was because of mercy that Adam wasn't killed in the garden when he disobeyed God.  It is because of the mercy of God that we aren't consumed when we commit a sin.  Many have this idea, when they are living in sin, that God is "all right" with it, or that He approves of it.  They reason in their own minds that if He wasn't "condoning" it they would have already faced His wrath or punishment.  Not true!  Mercy comes to all just like the rain does-- it rains on the just and the unjust, the good and the evil. (Matthew 5:45)

Never think that He is condoning your sin, especially because He has not judged or punished you, or because it appears that you are being blessed.  He loves you, but He hates the sin you are living in.  The only reason you haven't already been consumed is because the Lord God is a merciful God who does not want any to perish.  His mercy is at work in your life withholding punishment so that you will have time to repent.  It is not because it is His "stamp of approval".  

But, there will come a time when His mercy will end.  It ends once you leave this earth in death.  Then you will face the punishment.  Or it will end before that day when He determines you have had plenty of chances to repent and He is not going to overlook it any longer.  Mercy is part of who God is.  Therefore, He can decide to give it or withhold it.  The choice of whether He will extend mercy or not is solely up to Him.  If you are living under His mercy, while living in your sin, you don't need to take it for granted.  You should not think that He approves.  You need to repent and turn to Him and turn from your sin before mercy runs out.  

Have a great day.  God does not condone your sin.  He is only showing you mercy.