The Mercy Seat

• Printable Version - Share on Facebook - Posted by Dion Todd April 20, 2016 - Filed in Devotional - 11,812 views
  Then his lord called him in, and said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt, because you begged me. Shouldn't you also have had mercy on your fellow servant, even as I had mercy on you?' His lord was angry, and delivered him to the tormentors, until he should pay all that was due to him. So my heavenly Father will also do to you, if you don't each forgive your brother from your hearts for his misdeeds. Matthew 18:32 WEB
  
  Mercy is compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm. Basically, it is not punishing them, even though they deserve it, even if they have really earned it, and it is well within your power to do so. It is turning the other cheek, when you would like to slap theirs.
  
  Someone hurt me very badly once and I had to forgive them every day for a few years. Anytime that it came to mind, I forgave them again until one day, it no longer bothered me. This one took a long time. Each time they came to mind I would say 'Father, I forgive them for what they did.' Eventually, it became real and I no longer comforted myself by thinking of their demise like Esau did (Gen.27:42).
  
  Sitting right on top of the Ark of the Covenant was the mercy seat (Exodus 25:21). That is where God spoke from. Mercy is a big thing to the Lord and all through out the Bible you read about it. The Lord promises us that if we will show mercy, we will in turn be shown mercy (Mat 5:7). It is an amazing promise and it allows us to choose what is coming in our own life.
  
  Forgiveness does not make you a doormat and repeat offenders need to be dealt with in a peaceful manner. Who we allow to be a part of our lives is a choice that we make. Some people belong on this side of our door, others should be outside of it, with the door locked. Forgiveness does not mean that you are weak. It is a calculated, intelligent choice to recognize that someone deserves punishment, but so do we all.
  
  God Almighty who created the universe, all powerful, holds our very life in His hands and can take it away instantly. He shows us mercy by forgiving us of our mistakes, but He did say to forgive others or we would not be forgiven. Keep a clean slate. If you get the chance today to let someone off the hook, do so. The Lord will reward you by letting you off yours.
  
  Prayer: Father, I choose to forgive those that have wronged me. I loose them and let them go free. I choose to show them mercy today because You told us to. Forgive me of my own sins and set me free from the chains that bind me, in the name of Jesus Christ I pray.