Mercy

I have been thinking a lot about mercy lately. Sometimes in the midst of tragedy we forget to recognize God's mercy. I have been following the story of Jessica Ridgeway, a ten year old girl who was abducted and murdered in Colorado. Jessica's parents were going through a custody battle. I can imagine this may have caused some turmoil in little Jessica's life. I digress. Jessica was abducted and violated beyond recognition. It makes me hurt physically to think about what torture and abuse she may have endured before God mercifully took her under His wing. You see, I think her death was God's mercy. I can't imagine, had she been left alive, what kind of emotional torture she would have lived in. Would her parents have been able to provide the emotional and professional support that she would have needed to carry on with life? Could anybody? We can't answer that question. Only God knows.

Nevertheless, the situation has brought God's mercy to mind. It is easy to ask God, "Why?" I think all of us has been tempted to at some point. It is cliche to say that "God sees the big picture, whereas, we do not." I think it is more than that. I believe God feels our every hurt, disappointment, and sorrow. I believe God acts with compassionate treatment, even though we don't deserve it. I believe God's mercy is sometimes cloaked in tragedy.

I sometimes remind myself, in the midst of my own "tragedies",that God is all knowing. He knew before time that this little girl was going to go through this. He knew that my best friend was going to die suddenly. He knows and yet, He allows it to happen. That doesn't mean he likes it.God could have created a mankind without brains or a will of their own. He could have forced us to obey. We could be His subservient lemings. What would that have proven? I know that I would not want to be loved and followed by someone who is forced to do so. I want to be loved by those who choose me to love. It means more when it is genuine affection coming from someone who adores you, than rote obedience. God created man with free will and in so doing, sin occurred. In this world filled with sin, God still acts in merciful, graceful, and powerful ways. Our adoration to Him becomes much more profound in the midst of this sinful world. Our gratitude should grow as well. I am trying, in the midst of this pattern of thought, to remember to be grateful. Counting my blessings has become a bit more precious. I know that God is in my corner and He wants good things to come to those who love Him. In my humanness, I hope I can remember that.