the mercy of God. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. Psalm 103, verse 8. Mercy is God's tenderhearted compassion toward the miserable and the guilty. It is the pity of a holy God stooping down to the helpless sinner, not because He must, but because He delights to. Mercy is the overflow of His eternal love, relieving the wretched, pardoning the guilty, and raising the fallen.

From the beginning, God's mercy has been on display. It spared Adam and Eve in the garden. It delivered Israel from bondage in Egypt. It sent prophets to warn the rebellious nation. And in the fullness of time, it sent the Savior to redeem His people.

Mercy is not a reluctant gesture. It is the joy of God's heart. God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ. God's mercy is not exhausted by repeated sins, nor limited by the depth of our guilt. The dying thief found mercy in his final breath. and so may any who call on the Lord.

Yet God's mercy never sets aside His justice. Mercy does not sweep sin under the rug. It satisfies God's justice. This is the wonder of the cross, where divine justice was upheld and mercy was poured out. God did not overlook our sin. He condemned it in Christ. At Calvary, mercy and justice met, righteousness and peace kissed.

If we have received such undeserved mercy, then how can we withhold it from others? Shall we, who have been forgiven much, remain unmerciful? Let us be as our Father, kind, compassionate, and forgiving. And let us never forget, we stand by mercy alone. Here is our hope and our song, that God delights in mercy and His mercy never fails.

He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. Titus 3 verse 5.