A Picture of Mercy

I’ve been thinking about mercy. It’s one of those words heard often in church. In the Bible I read phrases such as show mercy, have mercy, and be merciful. I find mercy to be a part of God’s character and He requires mercy of us as well. Mercy speaks of compassion and love as gifts to be given in tangible ways.

I love the Lord because He hears my voice and my prayer for mercy. Because He bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath.

Psalm 116:1-2 (NLT)

I recently saw a photo of a small waterfall cascading down the rock ledges of a steep mountainside between the tall green trees of a rugged Montana forest. I am struck by the natural beauty of the setting. As I look closely at the details of the photo, an incredible picture of Jesus emerges. I can literally see His mercy flowing down from heaven. Each ledge I see in the photo represents a landing spot in my journey. When I am weary and in need of forgiveness for trying to make the journey on my own, He is there covering me with His mercy and refreshment. All I need to do is ask. I love that He bends down to listen to my voice. Unlike the world where we listen to respond, Jesus listens to understand our heart and delights in our relationship.

He hears my voice, He listens, and I will pray to receive His merciful gifts of love and compassion as long as I have breath.