All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts
us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled,
we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. 2 Corinthians
1:3-4 (NLT)
The
Lord God is the great Ruler over all nations. “Great is the Lord--even beyond
the borders of Israel!” (Malachi 1:5, NIV). The Lord God, who is Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ, is filled with mercy, compassion, and comfort (Exodus
34:6-7; Numbers 14:18; Psalm 86:15; Psalm 103:8). In fact, God is characterized
by His abundant mercy and comfort (Psalm 86:5; Daniel 9:9; Micah 7:18) because
He is the very source of all mercy and comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3; John 16:7). For
the Lord God is good, His mercy is everlasting (Psalm 100:5; 1 Chronicles
16:34; 2 Chronicles 5:13). God graciously forgives and shows mercy to all genuine
repentant people (Psalm 51:1-4; Isaiah 55:7; Lamentations 3:31-33; Daniel 9:9;
Micah 7:19). The true and living God is forever merciful, gracious, slow to
anger, abounding in love and faithfulness in reaching out to His people in need
and distressed (see also Nehemiah 9:17; Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2).
Where is another God like You, who pardons the
sins of the survivors among His people? You cannot stay angry with Your people,
for You love to be merciful. Once again You will have compassion on us. You
will tread our sins beneath Your feet; You will throw them into the depths of
the ocean! You will bless us as You promised . . . . You will set Your love
upon us, as You promised our father Abraham! Micah 7:18-20 (TLB)
God
delights giving His abundant mercy and comfort to people seeking His help
(Psalm 145:18-19). In His grace, God gives us what we do not deserve, and in
His everlasting mercy He does not give us what we do deserve (2 Samuel 24:14). “Because
of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail” (Lamentations
3:22, NIV). Even more, “the Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of
compassion” (Psalms 116:5, NIV). God's compassion and mercy is great (Psalm
25:6-7). The Holy Scriptures frequently speaks of the multitude of God's tender
mercies (see e.g., Psalm 5:7; Psalm 51:1; Psalm 69:16; Psalm 106:7, 45; Lamentations
3:32). The same God who judges also restores according to unending love (Psalm
30:5; Isaiah 54:7-8). Great is God’s faithfulness (Lamentations 3:23) that sums
up God’s unending mercies towards His people (Psalm 25:10; Psalm 26:3).
When
we are in trouble and distress, we can draw near to God’s throne so that we
might receive His mercy and compassion (Hebrews 4:16; James 5:11). God is
faithful to hear and save us when help is needed because God delights to show
mercy (Micah 7:18). As we draw near to God and turn from sin, God sends His
Holy Spirit to come alongside to provide our support, help, and encouragement
(John 14 – 16). He provides comfort and encouragement strength for our inner hearts
and encouragement for the outer person (John 14:16–17) so we can face our
trials and triumph over them. God is continually faithful to deliver us from
all our troubles and hard times as we wholeheartedly trust and depend on Him
(Psalm 116:5-6). He promises to wipe away every tear, protect us from our
enemies, and prevent us from falling (Psalms 116:8; Jude 24-25).
In
our sufferings and pain, we must continually take time to express praise or
glory to God. Praise is good medicine for our hurting hearts (2 Corinthians
1:3, Ephesians 1:3, and 1 Peter 1:3). Even the Apostle Paul learned that praise
is an important factor in achieving victory over depression, discouragement,
and hopelessness (see Acts 16:25-34). As respected biblical scholar Warren W. Wiersbe
noted: “Praise changes things just as
much as prayer changes things.” Always remember that God wants our exclusive
faith and worship of Him from our whole hearts (Deuteronomy 6:4-6; Matthew
22:37).
And the word of the Lord came again to Zechariah: “This
is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and
compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the
alien or the poor. In your hearts do not think evil of each other.’” Zechariah
7:8-10 (NIV)
Finally,
we are to intimate God’s mercy and compassion in our daily conduct toward
others. In fact, God requires His people to be just, merciful, and humble to others,
especially towards the poor and needy (Micah 6:8; see also Proverbs 21:13; Zechariah
7:9-10). Justice, mercy, and faith are the acts of obedience God requires of
all people (1 Samuel 15:22; Psalm 51:17; Isaiah 1:11-15; Jeremiah 22:16; Hosea
6:6; Amos 5:24 Micah 6:6-8; James 1:27). Jesus Christ said we are to “be
merciful, just as your Father is merciful” (Luke 6:36, NIV). God has required
throughout the entire Holy Scriptures mercy. God does not delight the external religious
but deeds of mercy to others (Matthew 9:13; Matthew 12:7; Matthew 23:23). God
said “I desire mercy and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than
burnt offerings” (Hosea 6:6, NKJV). In fact, mercy is a mark of discipleship
(Matthew 5:7; see also Luke 10:36-37).
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain
mercy.
(Matthew 5:7)
In
the Holy Scriptures, mercy is described as kindness, steadfast love,
loving-kindness, loyalty, and faithfulness as they are all part of the same
fabric. Mercy always involves helping those who are in need or distress as God
has shown mercy to us (see Luke 10:25-37). The apostle Paul emphasized that our
comfort from God is not just for our own good, but that we may be able to
comfort those which are in any trouble (Philippians 2:1-2; Colossians 3:12). In
other words, we are to share God’s comfort with others in troubled times and
care for
the needs of others (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). God freely gives us His mercy and
compassion in all our troubles “so that we can comfort those in any trouble
with the comfort we ourselves have received from God” (2 Corinthians 1:4, NIV).
What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law
and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest
income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the
law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the
more important things. Matthew 23:23 (NLT)
References
King James
Version Study Bible.
Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1988.
KJV Bible
Commentary.
Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1994.
Life
Application Study Bible. Carol Streams, IL: Tyndale House Pub., 2005.
NLT
Study Bible. Carol Streams, IL: Tyndale House Pub., 2008.
Zondervan NIV
Study Bible.
Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2008.
Grudem,
Wayne. Systematic Theology. Grand
Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1994.
Butler,
Trent. Holman Bible Dictionary.
Broadman & Holman Pub., 1991.
Wiersbe,
Warren W. Bible Exposition Commentary.
Victor Books, 1989.
Wiersbe,
Warren. With the Word Bible Commentary.
Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1991.
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