Pastor’s Reflections
All Things for Good: The Mercies of God
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
God’s judgments make us fear Him – but His mercies make us love Him
– Thomas Watson
Mercy is at the center of the character of God. “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.” (Exodus 34:6) The Lord always acts out of His mercy, out of a deep compassion and love for those who have no right to receive any blessings from God. And yet we receive blessings – every spiritual blessing (things that come with being a Christian) as well as the regular provision of those things we need to survive, e.g., food, clothing, etc…
Paul writes about the mercy of God in his letter to the church in Ephesus: “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ – by grace you have been saved …” Paul is proclaiming that without the mercy of God, there is no salvation. Without the mercy of God, there is no hope, no forgiveness, no eternal life, no help.
But God is rich in mercy. He has so much to share, and He does. His mercies include sending His Son to die that we might have live, forgiving us our sin, providing for our every need, sending the Holy Spirit to dwell in us, promising to be with us always and to raise us from the dead even as He raised His Son. Of course there is more, but you get the idea … His mercies never end and are comprehensive, abundant, etc…
So how do we see the mercies of God acting on the Christian? Thomas Watson, in his book All Things for Good, provides several ways:
- The mercies of God have a melting influence on the soul … it is God’s mercy that leads us to love Him more deeply as we meditate on the many ways He has shown that mercy.
- The mercies of God make the heart fruitful.
- The mercies of God make the heart thankful.
- The mercies of God quicken us for God’s service.
- The mercies of God work compassion to others (i.e., they make us merciful!).
Is your own heart thankful? fruitful? Do you find yourself growing in your love for God and your love for others as you mature as a Christian? Do you think about God’s mercies and find yourself marveling that He has shown mercy to you? Does thinking about God’s mercy increase your desire to serve Him well in the world?
Thomas Watson notes one other thing about God’s mercies that I think is worth mentioning. He says, “A godly Christian is not a grave to bury God’s mercies, but a temple to sing His praises.” May we not be graves, but temples. May we be those who rejoice in the mercies of God and sing His praises, even as we show mercy to others.
Past Reflections:
- October 2022 – All Things for Good: The Attributes of God
August 2022 – Tea Sandwiches
July 2022 – Wedding Season
June 2022 – Firstfruits Redux - April 2022 – Glorifying God: Giving Him the Glory
- March 2022 – Glorifying God: Suffering for Him
February 2022 – Glorifying God: Drawing Others to Him
January 2022 – Glorifying God: Keeing Our Eyes on the Road
December 2021 – Glorifying God: Zealous for His Name - January 2020 – Glorifying God: Living to God
2019
- December 2019 – Glorifying God: Working Out Our Own Salvation
November 2019 – Glorifying God: Contentment - October 2019 – Glorifying God: Fruitfulness
- September 2019 – Glorifying God: Believing
- August 2019 – Glorifying God: Caring About His Glory
- July 2019 – Glorifying God: Humble Confession of Sin
- April 2019 – Three Things to Think About This Easter
- March 2019 – Then Pray Like This
- February 2019 – Why Me?
- January 2019 – Resolutions
2018 - December 2018 – Walking with God
- November 2018 – Pastor Pete
- October 2018 – Mercy – It’s so Unfair
- September 2018 – Who Am I (Part II)
- August 2018 – Who Am I (Part I)
- July 2018 – Some Reflections on the PCA General Assembly
- June 2018 – Here a Glimpse, There a Glory
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