The Prerogative of God and His Mercy
For God said to Moses, “I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.” – Rom 9:15 NIV
The mercy and goodness of God are inseparable. His goodness is embedded in and dispensed by His mercy. When Moses had found favor with God, and God confirmed His presence would journey with the Israelites to the promised land, Moses further requested, “Now show me your glory” (Exo 33:18 NIV). God in His response in verse 19 says “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you….I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy….” I imagined it this way: Moses asked to see God’s glory, and God says “I will cause all My goodness to pass before you and you will see My Glory through My goodness because I have shown you My mercy, Hallelujah! Where mercy speaks, every judgment and condemnation cease. All impossibilities become possible in the space of God’s Mercy. Mercy triumphs always…
God in His sovereignty chooses who would be the recipient of His mercy. The selection doesn’t predicate on one’s qualification or efforts. It doesn’t have anything to do with self-positioning or posturing. It’s all determined by the Lord God Himself, to show mercy unto the one He has decided to. “It does not depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. For Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” Therefore, God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.” (Romans 9:16-18 NIV).
Just imagine the story of a young lad, David in 1 Sam 16:1-13, forgotten in the bush where he was tending the father’s flock, God sent prophet Samuel to his father’s house to anoint him. Without his knowledge, influence or any form of politicking, the mercy of God located him from where he was tending the sheep and God brought him to be anointed in the presence of his brothers, who were more qualified to serve in the army of Israel (1 Sam 17:13). But God says, “do not consider his appearance or his height…the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Sam 16:7 NIV)
It then means that to be candidates of God’s mercy, the state of our heart’s matters. If the condition of our heart is wrong, everything would be wrong. David’s heart is what God considered, and the condition of Moses’ heart earned him a place in God’s presence, we all should ask the Lord in this season to help our heart be true with Him. Serving God with a pure heart is rewarding. “The eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him…” (2 Chronicles 16:9 NIV). Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” Matt 5:8.