A DEVOTIONAL AND A PRAYER · A SHORT READING TO CARRY, AND A PRAYER TO CLOSE
Mercy — Foundational Biblical Doctrine
INTRO
Before your feet touch the floor this morning, this is already true of you: the mercy of God is new. It did not wear out with yesterday's sins. It was set out fresh before you woke, because it flows from a faithfulness that cannot fail. You are not met at the start of this day by a God with folded arms, counting your faults. You are met by one who delights in mercy, whose mercies are new every morning. Take that mercy first, before you do anything to earn it — then let the mercy you have freely received become the mercy you show to every person you meet today, at every hour of the day.
I LOVE THEM THAT LOVE ME → THOSE THAT SEEK ME EARLY SHALL FIND ME.
Lamentations 3:22Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. (23) They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
NOT CONSUMED, BECAUSE HIS COMPASSIONS FAIL NOT → NEW EVERY MORNING + GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS.
Psalm 5:3Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.
MY VOICE SHALT THOU HEAR IN THE MORNING → IN THE MORNING WILL I DIRECT MY PRAYER UNTO THEE, AND WILL LOOK UP.
(My personal thoughts — this morning, before you have done anything to earn it, the mercy is already new. You do not begin the day owing; you begin it having already been given to. Before you ask anything else of God today, look up and receive this one thing first: his mercy toward you this morning, brand new.)
NOON — AND AT NOON WILL I PRAY
Psalm 55:17Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.
EVENING, AND MORNING, AND AT NOON, WILL I PRAY, AND CRY ALOUD → HE SHALL HEAR MY VOICE.
Acts 10:9Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour:
PETER WENT UP UPON THE HOUSETOP TO PRAY → ABOUT THE SIXTH HOUR.
Micah 6:8Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
DO JUSTLY + LOVE MERCY + WALK HUMBLY WITH THY GOD.
(My personal thoughts — at midday, stop what you are doing for one minute. Remember this morning's verse. Ask yourself one question: has anyone crossed your path today who needed mercy and did not get it from you? If so, this is the moment to turn back and give it, even with only a word. Then return to your work.)
NIGHT — MEDITATE DAY AND NIGHT
Psalm 63:6Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.
WHEN I REMEMBER THEE UPON MY BED → MEDITATE ON THEE IN THE NIGHT WATCHES.
Psalm 51:1Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
HAVE MERCY UPON ME, O GOD → ACCORDING UNTO THE MULTITUDE OF THY TENDER MERCIES BLOT OUT MY TRANSGRESSIONS.
BE YE ANGRY, AND SIN NOT → LET NOT THE SUN GO DOWN UPON YOUR WRATH.
THE WORD TO HIDE IN THE HEART
Psalm 100:5Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.
HIS MERCY IS EVERLASTING → HIS TRUTH ENDURETH TO ALL GENERATIONS.
(My personal thoughts — tonight, look back over the day against these two verses. Where did you need mercy today, and did you ask for it? Where did someone need your mercy, and did you hold back in anger instead? Let it go before you sleep, the way Ephesians 4:26 says. Then rest: his mercy is everlasting, and it did not run out today, and it will not run out tomorrow.)
FINAL THOUGHTS
Deuteronomy 6:6Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: (7) And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
THESE WORDS SHALL BE IN THINE HEART → TALK OF THEM WHEN THOU SITTEST, WALKEST, LIEST DOWN, AND RISEST UP.
Mercy is not a subject for one hour of the day. It was new when you woke, it was needed again at midday, and it is the last thing you remember still needing and still having as you fall asleep. Sitting in the house, walking on the road, lying down, and rising up — every part of an ordinary day can be lived inside the mercy of God, if you keep coming back to it at each of these three times.
APPLY TODAY
1. (Morning) Before you eat anything this morning, read Lamentations 3:22-23 out loud once, and thank God for one specific new mercy today.
2. (Noon) At midday, stop for one minute and ask whether anyone you have met today needed mercy from you. If so, go back and give it before the day is over.
3. (Night) Before you sleep, name one thing you are still angry about, and let it go, following Ephesians 4:26 — do not carry it into tomorrow.
4. (Any time) Speak one verse from today's reading to another person, and ask them to remind you of it again tomorrow.
THE PRAYER
O Lord, you have told me your own name, and mercy was the first word of it. You are merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and full of mercy; your mercy is new every morning, and it endures for ever. I am not worthy of the least of all your mercies, yet you have said you delight in mercy. So I come — not by climbing, but by crying out; not covering my sin, but confessing it: be merciful to me, a sinner. Blot out my sins by the multitude of your tender mercies, and put them as far from me as the east is from the west. You ask me to love mercy as you love it; so make me merciful, even as my Father is merciful, that as I have received mercy I may show it to my brother. And because the love of many will grow cold, give me the mercy I need to endure to the end and not grow lukewarm. Keep my heart warm toward you, that I do not grow weary, but be found faithful until death. I come boldly to your throne of grace, that I may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need; and I will sing of your mercies for ever. Amen.
