“For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and
thy truth unto the clouds.” Psa 57:10
Mercy
and Truth is a strange pair, yet they are linked together 47 times in the bible.
Mercy is emotional and truth is practical. Mercy is flexible and truth is
absolute. As Moses was told to build the ark, he was instructed to place the
tablets of stone with the law written on them—cold, hard, and unchangeable.
Truth was in the ark, and mercy was right there, too, above it. The mercy seat
with the cherubim’s’ wings spread above the ark covered the law. What is higher than the clouds? What covers
the clouds like a canopy? The heavens. Truth reaches to the clouds, but mercy reaches
unto the heavens. Mercy is the canopy that covers truth. Matthew 1, lineage of
Christ contains some important illustrations of truth and mercy. Truth says…Tamar was a harlot; Mercy says,
she’s a survivor and worth saving. Truth says…Rahab was a harlot, liar; Mercy says,
she’s a believer and I have a place for her. Truth says…Ruth is an idol worshiper;
Mercy says, I’ll show her the way. Truth says…Bathsheba was a has been; Mercy
says, she’ll be a can be. We are well
acquainted with truth. We stand on truth, we live by truth, we glorify truth,
and so we should. Truth must be faced and dealt with. Truth cannot be changed,
hidden, ran from, or ignored. For some truth is . . . “I’ve had an abortion.”
“I was unfaithful to my spouse.” “I’ve been on drugs.” “I’ve embezzled from my
employer.” “I’ve practiced homosexuality.” “I’ve ignored God.” Oh yes, we know
the truth . But we are not as well acquainted with mercy as we should be. Read
the words of the Savior. “…I will have mercy and not sacrifice: for I
am not come to call the righteous, but sinners [the Tamars, the Rahabs,
the Ruths, the Bathshebas] to repentance” (Mat 9:13). Truth points out the
prostitutes, the adulteresses, the idol worshipers, the drug addicts, the
lesbians. Mercy calls them to repentance… “By mercy and truth iniquity is purged”
(Pro 16:6).
No
Truth no freedom; no Mercy no hope.
HSAY…Todd
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