“To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him.”

- Daniel 9:9

You and I have rebelled against God. We do not come to God as good people looking to be better; we come as rebel enemies desiring to surrender. Our rebellion deserves God's wrath. Instead, we get His mercy; He accepts our surrender. (Dan. 9:9).

Mercy belongs to God. Mercy is God NOT giving us what we DO deserve. Because of our sin and rebellion, we deserve God's wrath. In His mercy, many have said that God withholds His wrath. This is only partly true. Yes, in mercy, God withholds His wrath from you and me, only because He pours it out on another‚ His Son, King Jesus. God's wrath must be appeased; someone must drink the cup. In the garden, when Jesus asks for the “cup to pass from Him,” Jesus is speaking of the cup of God's wrath (Psalm 60:3; Psalm 75:8; Isaiah 51:17; Isaiah 51:22; Jeremiah 25:15; Obadiah 16; Revelation 14:10). Yet, per the plan of salvation, the cup does not pass, and Jesus drinks every last drop.

God can extend mercy to you and me because He poured His wrath out on His Son.

When we wear the MRCY mantra, we wear it, remembering God's compassion, goodness, and mercy. We wear it as undeserving recipients of Jesus' love. We wear it as a reminder to all who see it; no matter how far you are away from God, His mercy is ever near.

Press on,
Pastor Harp