So Great is His Mercy

There is a way out of the pit:

Here, I am drawing from one of King David’s Psalms. [PSALM 103].

First David seeks to bless God from deep in his soul. He speaks of the great God of the Bible who forgives, heals, redeems him from the pit and then crowns him with loving kindness and tender mercies.

Kind David; great and small:

For me, David represents the very best of Mankind.

Humble in his way; courageous in facing and defeating the lion; slaying the giant Goliath and Israel’s many enemies; a servant even to Saul, an ungodly king; a musician extraordinaire and a man who by divine inspiration, penned some of the most sublime words ever written by Man.

Despite these achievements, still a sinner like you and me! So, can I invite you to draw life from this Psalm.

For I know that David’s reality is so much my reality. I realise that what little good can be found in me, all comes from the Spirit of Him who redeemed my life from the pit.

Though God is right to punish me for my wrong-doing, yet He does not. Why?

The mystery lies within the dusty pages of the Bible. A love letter from God to Man. At the heart of this letter, my Messiah’s sacrifice at Calvary, His resurrection, and as a repentant sinner my trust in Him.

What Love is this!

David expands on this unmerited mercy of God with the following words:

He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He  removed our transgressions from us. As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust. [PSALM 103:10-14]

Mercy for those who fear God:

How great the distance between God’s dwelling place in the heavens and Man’s on earth. As David pondered that greatness he saw the mercy of God in similar fashion. Yet David qualifies that by saying such mercy falls on those who fear God. For me that means those who are in reverent awe of who God is.

Endless separation from sin:

We discover that God is willing to separate our sin (transgression) from us! Indeed, as far as the east is from the west. How far is that? God is telling us metaphorically, the separation is endless!

I recall looking out from one side of the Grand Canyon to the other with my brother John while travelling through the USA in my youth. That was vast to me yet God says to me, this is a separation beyond measure.

A Father’s pity:

Finally God shows pity to David as a father shows pity to his children. I took the photo of the boys while travelling through India. You can see the boys are ready to have some fun yet we know children can quickly get themselves into trouble.

Remember when the disciples tried to keep the children from pestering Yeshua and He said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.”

Yeshua has the same heart for children as His Father. The most important task in life for me as a father is to point my children to Yeshua and by so doing I point the way to the Father.