God is Grace and Mercy

Ephesians 2:4-8 But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved – and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.

This soaring passage nearly sings from the page! Remember that when you see long dashes in the text, that indicates that in the oldest manuscripts something has been lost or corrupted so much that it can’t be discerned. It could be a word, a phrase or even a page. We have no way of knowing. What we do know as we read these words is that what remains is all we need! Here the author presents us with a soaring picture of God’s mercy and redeeming grace. The word we translate as ‘mercy’ refers to the outward expression of compassion and pity toward those who are hurting, especially due to their own faults. It is mercy that forgives, binds up wounds, and sets us on a path of life. Mercy is without judgment. It never says, ‘you made your bed, now lie in it.’ It is boundless compassion and understanding at work in the life of the one in need.

‘Grace’ refers to God’s powerful, unmerited, unconditional and eternal love. It is this powerful love that saves us. The word for saved, “sozo,” means to be rescued or to be put back together again whole. ‘Faith,’ which means trust, is the way that we experience the mercy and grace of God as real and true for us. It is not a set of beliefs per se. It is a choice to rely upon the message we have received. It is not about doing everything, or anything right. It is about releasing into the miracle that God is mercy and grace, and has and will dispense mercy and grace to us forever.
Do you sometimes find it difficult to trust that God looks at you with compassion? That God loves you eternally and that God’s love is enough to put you back together again whole? Do you get lost in notions of what you deserve or images you have been taught that God is harsh and angry with you? That God hates you for who you are? Those images are powerful in our culture and, sadly, sometimes in the church as well. They are just not true. God sees you as you are, flaws and beauty. God’s lavish compassion surrounds you all the time. God’s love will never let you go. See if today you can let go and trust that that is your truth.

Prayer: God of Mercy and Grace, I am so grateful for your saving love and bountiful mercy. Help me today to trust in your grace alone and begin to see myself through your eyes of love. In Jesus’ holy name I pray. Amen.
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