As we approach a new year, many of us are excited. We have had a great last year, and we are hoping that this year is the same. For those whose last year was not what they had hoped for, there can be new mercies this year. As the author of Lamentations writes “His mercies are new every morning” or here we could say year.

First, let’s define for ourselves the word mercy. Mercy and grace often get intertwined with each other, but the ideas are different. Grace is God blessing me with things I do not deserve. Mercy is not being punished for what I do deserve. In other words, we should be punished for sin, but if we have received forgiveness from God instead of punishment, that is mercy.

Second, we need to understand what the context of Lamentations is. First, it is a book of laments, which are expressions of grief or sorrow. Here the Israelites were broken. Why? Because the Babylonians had destroyed them and Jerusalem. Why would God allow this? We read in the book of II Kings that God used it as punishment for their sin of idolatry and rebellion to bring them back to Him. 

Now that we know what mercy means and the context, let’s evaluate the last year through that lens. If last year was not fruitful, but devastating, why was that the case?

Mercy and grace often get intertwined with each other, but the ideas are different.

Here we need to be careful. Sometimes we assume that things are happening bad to someone because of great sin in their life. That is not always the case. Jesus points this out to his disciples in John 9 when they saw a blind man. Sometimes it can be that we belong to a sin cursed world, or someone else has sinned against us.

But if last year was destructive, or not even profitable because of our sin, we can be encouraged. God’s mercy can be new for us this year. As John teaches us in I John 1:9, “if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Or as the author of Lamentations states it, “the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness (3:22-23).”

Think About It

What sins do you need mercy for?

Are you looking to God to give you a year of mercy even when you fail and sin?

Are you thankful that God’s mercy never comes to an end? Look to God, His faithfulness is great!

Thanks for taking time to read this Maddening Theology post. If you enjoyed this content you can find Pastor Tim’s sermons at www.cornerstoneforestcity.org. You can also join us at 520 Marion St. Browndale, PA 18421 on Sundays at 10 AM. To make following the blog easier you can also register. You can also join us on Facebook at Cornerstone Forest City. Also, don’t forget to download our APP on iTunes  or Googleplay.