“HE DELIGHTETH IN MERCY.”
So speaks the prophet of the great Jehovah, our God and Father. “Who is a God like unto Thee,” he exclaims, as he contemplates God’s character, “that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He retaineth not His anger forever, because He delighteth in mercy.” Micah 7:18. O soul in bondage, will you not believe in God? He delighteth in mercy. Satan would have you believe that God is cruel, vindictive, revengeful, or, at the best, so just that He can not be merciful; that you have committed so many sins that there is no hope for you; and why then should you seek God’s mercy? But do you not like to do that which you delight in? The thing in which you delight is the thing above all others which you delight to do. Well, God “delighteth in mercy.” He delights to exercise mercy. “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and plenteous in mercy.” Ps. 103:8. Merciful is full of mercy; and God has a plenteous supply with which to fulfil all His pleasure. “But I am such a sinner!” you say. Then you surely need His mercy all the more. Listen to what His Word says: “The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear Him, in those that hope in His mercy.” Ps. 147:11. Why then will you not hope? He speaks again: “If any man draw back, My soul shall have no pleasure in Him.” Heb. 10:38. Then why will you draw back from His mercy? Will He not work “all things after the counsel of His own will,” “according to His good pleasure which He hath purposed”? Eph. 1:11, 9. When it is God’s pleasure to have mercy, when He is pleased with those that hope in His mercy, why will you not be a recipient of the fulness of His mercy? “But does He not say, ‘I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy’? He may not will to have mercy upon me.” Well, doubting one, let the Lord answer the question. You are certainly among one of two classes, the obedient or the disobedient. If among the former, listen: “I the Lord thy God am a jealous God; . . . showing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me, and keep My commandments.” Ex. 20:5, 6. Which keepeth “covenant and mercy to them that love Him, and to them that keep His commandments.” Dan. 9:4. Are you among the disobedient, the wicked, the sinful? Listen again: “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.” Isa. 55:7. It is God’s will, it is God’s good-pleasure, to have mercy upon you; He is pleased to have you hope in His mercy; for He is a merciful God. Will you not accept of His mercy? If you do not in the light of all these gracious assurances, is it not because you love sin more than you long for the righteousness which His mercy brings? O, think of these things, and slight not His mercy! “For Thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon Thee.” Ps. 86:5.