God is Merciful
Our Father is a merciful God. Because of the finished work of the cross, now we can come boldly to the throne of grace to obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
We face struggles and challenges—and even we sin—in daily life. In the midst of it all, we should desperately cry out, “Lord, Be merciful to us! Do not withhold your tender mercies from us!” Remember, God delights in showing mercy, and we can rest in the assurance that his mercy is new every day.
But we’re not only called to receive mercy—we’re also called to give it. As we extend mercy to others, God continues to pour out his mercy on us. It becomes a beautiful “cycle of mercy”.
Therefore, we encourage you to mediate his mercy and remind one another to seize every opportunity to show mercy—because we ourselves are in desperate need of it every single day.
His mercy
Psalm 103:8-10
8The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness. 9He will not always accuse; neither will he stay angry forever. 10He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor repaid us for our iniquities.
Exodus 33:18-19
18Moses said, “Please show me your glory.” 19He said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the LORD’s name before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.”
Deuteronomy 4:31
31For the LORD your God is a merciful God. He will not fail you nor destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your fathers which he swore to them.
Micah 7: 18-19
18Who is a God like you, who pardons iniquity, and passes over the disobedience of the remnant of his heritage? He doesn’t retain his anger forever, because he delights in loving kindness. 19He will again have compassion on us. He will tread our iniquities under foot. You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.
2 Chronicles 30:9
9For if you turn again to the LORD, your brothers and your children will find compassion with those who led them captive, and will come again into this land, because the LORD your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you if you return to him.”
Lamentations 3:32-33
32For though he causes grief, yet he will have compassion according to the multitude of his loving kindnesses. 33For he does not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men.
Hosea 6:6
6For I desire mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.
Jonah 4:11
11Shouldn’t I be concerned for Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred twenty thousand persons who can’t discern between their right hand and their left hand, and also many animals?”
Luke 1:78-79
78Because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the dawn from on high will visit us, 79to shine on those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death; to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
Matthew 14:14
14Jesus went out, and he saw a great multitude. He had compassion on them and healed their sick.
Mark 6:34
34Jesus came out, saw a great multitude, and he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.
Ephesians 2:4-5
4But God, being rich in mercy, for his great love with which he loved us, 5even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—
Titus 3:5
5Not by works of righteousness which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy, he saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,
Praise his mercy
Lamentations 3:22-23
22It is because of the LORD’s loving kindnesses that we are not consumed, because his mercies don’t fail. 23They are new every morning. Great is your faithfulness.
Psalm 145:8-9
8The LORD is gracious, merciful, slow to anger, and of great loving kindness. 9The LORD is good to all. His tender mercies are over all his works.
Psalm 103:13-14
13Like a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him. 14For he knows how we are made. He remembers that we are dust.
1 Peter 1:3
3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
Isaiah 54:8
8In overflowing wrath I hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting loving kindness I will have mercy on you,” says the LORD your Redeemer.
Isaiah 30:18
18Therefore the LORD will wait, that he may be gracious to you; and therefore he will be exalted, that he may have mercy on you, for the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all those who wait for him.
He commands us to show mercy to others
Matthew 5:7
7Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
Colossians 3:12
12Put on therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, humility, and perseverance;
Micah 6:8
8He has shown you, O man, what is good. What does the LORD require of you, but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?
Zechariah 7:8-10
8The LORD’s word came to Zechariah, saying, 9“Thus has the LORD of Armies spoken, saying, ‘Execute true judgment, and show kindness and compassion every man to his brother. 10Don’t oppress the widow, the fatherless, the foreigner, nor the poor; and let none of you devise evil against his brother in your heart.’
James 2:12-13
12So speak and so do as men who are to be judged by the law of freedom. 13For judgment is without mercy to him who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
Jude 1:20-23
20But you, beloved, keep building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit. 21Keep yourselves in God’s love, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. 22On some have compassion, making a distinction, 23and some save, snatching them out of the fire with fear, hating even the clothing stained by the flesh.
Psalm 123:2
2Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD, our God, until he has mercy on us.
Hebrews 4:16
16Let’s therefore draw near with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace for help in time of need.
Illustrations
Though the people rebelled, God remained merciful (Nehemiah 9:13-21)
Jonah and Nineveh (Jonah 3:1–10)
Prayer
Abba Father,
You are a merciful God. In your great mercy, you have given us new birth—and now we are called your children. Father, we confess that we often sin against you. We struggle with our health issues, face difficult circumstances, and at times feel completely worn out. From the depths of our hearts, we cry out: “Lord, have mercy upon us!”
Holy Spirit,
Guard our hearts and keep them tender. Teach us how to show mercy to others—especially to those who have wronged us. May the work of our hands bring glory to God, and may our lives reflect your compassion.
In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen!