Mercy vs. Grace

Mercy vs. Grace

August 3, 2009, 11:24 pm
Filed under: Devotions

Today i learnt the differences between mercy and grace. We often use these two words as synonyms. I guess all these years i think of these two words as the same too.

The truth is actually more elusive, like the words themselves. We should think of it this way: Mercy is God withholding the punishment we rightfully deserve. Grace is God not only withholding the punishment but offering the most precious gift to us instead.

Let us go through a few examples:

Mercy withholds the knife from the heart of Isaac.
Grace provides a ram in the thicket.

Mercy runs to forgive the Prodigal Son.
Grace throws a party with every extravagance.

Mercy bandages the wounds of the man beaten by the robbers.
Grace covers the cost of his full recovery.

Mercy hears the cry of the thief on the cross.
Grace promises paradise that very day.

Mercy pays the penalty for our sin at the cross.
Grace substitutes the righteousness of Christ for our wickedness.

Mercy converts Paul on the road to Damascus.
Grace calls him to be apostle.

Mercy saves John Newton from a life of rebellion and sin.
Grace makes him a pastor and author of a timeless hymn.

Mercy closes the door to hell.
Grace opens the door to heaven.

Mercy withholds what we earned.
Grace provides blessings we have not earned.

Through all this examples, I can conclude that mercy is actually at level 1 while grace is level 2.  It’s so hard for us to show mercy to our brothers and sisters while God always pour out his grace so freely to us. It can be taken for granted and I know that I once used to be those people. Today, I just want to testify here on how much his grace been changing me as a person. I am truly captured by God’s grace and for those of you out there who feels that they need to be forgiven, always remember this:

No One is Beyond the Reach of a Loving God

Amen

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