Rejoice Today in God’s Redeeming Mercy

Reverend Leo H. McCrary II

Where would you be if God was not a merciful God?

Today’s devotional reading: Isaiah 63:7-14

The mercy of our loving Lord ought to be celebrated all day long, but few of us stop to ever consider where we would be without God’s mercy. It often seems that the only ones who appreciate the Lord’s mercy are those who have gone through some things in their life.

I sat in an ICU room with family the other day, and we spoke at length about the mercy and love of God, very much like the account in Isaiah 63. In this passage of scripture, thanks are given to the Lord for His always being with His people. When the children of Israel lived in the bondage of Egypt, God was with them. When they wandered in the wilderness, the Lord was with them. Even when they dwelt in exile in Babylon, God was still with the children of Israel.

God has promised that He will never leave nor forsake His children. Today, the Holy Spirit rests with those who have chosen to love the Lord and accept His holy presence. Through all of our trials and tribulations, flaws and failures, God does not abandon us. We are tried, tested, and constantly acting out of order, but what does God do when we come before His throne? Does He cast us away from His presence? Does He forbid our presence before the throne of grace?

The joy that God remains with me is inexpressible, especially taking into consideration my great sins. The Lord shouldn’t remain with us, as we are sinful creatures who, day by day, prove we are as filthy rags. Yet, the Lord repeatedly gives us chance after chance to make corrections and grow. The Lord wants you to be with Him, and not to destroy you! For that, shouldn’t we sing praises to His name? Shouldn’t we sing praises to Him for making the way possible for us to have part in the good things to come? Certainly so!