GOD has spoken to us in His' word of many wonderful things, which surely every boy and girl would like to know something about, such as mercy, grace, love, faith, hope, peace and joy, and many others.
It is a help in trying to understand these glorious truths, to find the first time they are spoken of in the Bible. The first time we read of love is in connection with Abraham loving Isaac, and the first time the words mercy and merciful are used is in connection with Lot, Abraham's nephew.
Lot saw a well-watered plain and decided to settle there in comfortable surroundings. He did not inquire of the Lord, and found himself very soon in trouble, and surrounded by evil men and their wicked ways.
The city, Sodom, in which he lived was so sinful that God decided to overthrow it, but before He did so He showed mercy to Lot and sent His angels to take Lot and his wife and two daughters out of it, "the Lord being merciful unto him," we are told. (Gen. 19:1616And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the Lord being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city. (Genesis 19:16).) Lot realized this and said, "Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast showed unto me in saving my life." (Gen. 19:1919Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast showed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die: (Genesis 19:19).)
We, every one of us, need the same mercy, not to be taken out of our cities actually, but to be forgiven our sins and taken out of the wickedness of this world and linked with Christ in heaven, and His people on earth.
Quite recently, when Europe was being overrun by revolutionaries, a lad named Emil learned what it was to be shown mercy.
He lived in a village in Central Europe with a long, unpronounceable name. One day three men who had offended the government were brought into the village to be hanged. Emil saw it all. Two of the men were quickly dealt with, but the third had a wife and seven young children and begged for mercy.
The officials present sent to headquarters some miles distant to ask if it might be granted to him. All day long the village crowd and the condemned man, and his wife and children, awaited the reply, sobbing, hoping, fearing, almost beside themselves with anguish and terror. At last the mob made way for a man with a reply. It was a glorious answer. The man was to be forgiven and released. The joy of all was great and the condemned man went home with his wife and family to enjoy a happy meal, and then a peaceful sleep; a forgiven man to whom mercy had been shown!
Emit could not sleep that night. He went over all that had happened during the day, and as he thought and thought it came to him that the man who was pardoned had asked for mercy and received it. Then his thoughts turned upon himself. He knew that he was a sinner in God's sight, and condemned, for what does God say? "He that believeth on him [God's Son] is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." (John 3: 18.)
Emil knew that he had never believed and felt his need for mercy, so he got out of bed and on to his knees, and prayed to God to forgive him his sins, and give him faith in His beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. It was a never-to-be-forgotten night for Emil, for God, "who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins," gave him a sense in his heart and mind that he was forgiven. He got up and dressed to start a new day, with a new life, for God had had mercy on him.
Have you ever asked for mercy? The tax-gatherer we read about in Luke is did. "God be merciful to me a sinner," he said, and we are told that he went down to his house justified. He asked for mercy and it was shown him.
So did king David. He had sinned, and he knew he deserved death, but he cried to God, "Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness" and God did have mercy on him, and He will on you, too, if you are sincere, and want it, and ask for it.
David asks so beautifully, and we can, too, "Remember not the sins of my youth according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness' sake, O Lord." (Psa. 25:77Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness' sake, O Lord. (Psalm 25:7).)