Unyielding Mercy and Compassion

This picture is of a man who desired to end his life by jumping off a bridge in England, but was unable because of the people with 'unyielding mercy and compassion' would not let him go. Do you see the hands holding his belt or the arms wrapped around his legs or the arms around his neck or the rope around his waist or the strap around his knees? And what you can't see are his hands trying to push everyone away. Mercy given even when he was trying to reject it.

In spiritual reality, this is a great picture of us -- God's mercy given even when we don't deserve it. Peter states, "According to [God's] great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead," (1 Peter 1:3). Or hear Paul, "God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8). This is the magnitude of God's grace for us -- absolute mercy given even when we truly don't deserve ... any.

Why would God do this for us? Because He loves us.

What do I have to do to get this? Nothing! Just receive it in faith in His Son Jesus.

So, what do I do with this grace and mercy? Give it without holding anything back. 

May the world see us, the community of Riverside Church, like these hands and arms and straps and ropes -- doing everything we can in mercy for others 'in view of God's mercy for us.'...  "Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship." Rom. 12:1

Yours in His grace and mercy,

Pastor David