God-colored Glasses

"His mercy fills the gaps where our faith falls short."

ATOP THE ARK OF TESTIMONY, atop the Commandments of Law given by God, sat the mercy seat, a golden lid designed by God as a place for His Presence to dwell. Here we see a picture of the grace of God to come. More important than the rules and regulations of the Law was the mercy of God which designed it. God saw the people through His mercy. Greater than sacrifices and offerings done by man was who He was and who He would become.

Redemption came to earth because of God’s mercy. Because at the heart of His actions was a desire to forgive and embrace with generosity and kindness. God IS love. It is what makes up His every thought and word and action. Nothing He does is done outside of it. As the ocean is made up of water molecules, God is made up of love so wide, so high, that it consumes all that goes before it.

Faith in God comes as a result of our trust in God’s love for us. We have faith in His heart for us and the truthfulness of His Word. Or we could say it in reverse, until we know God is absolute truth, that He speaks and what He says will come to pass, we will not use faith. God is all parts of faith. He is the hope that precedes it. He is the desire that spawns our hope. And He is the mercy of God which bands the whole thing together. We have faith in God’s mercy to us. If He would send His Son to rescue us, undeserved, then how much more will He hear and answer our prayer of faith.

Faith is not an Olympic Sport. We do not have to run far and leap high, bounding over buildings like Superman. There is no pole vault required nor a triathlon we must qualify for first. Faith has been drawn for us like that. Instead, it is the simpleness of faith that we should rely on. That the God who gave its complete measure to every man did so, so that we could have all we would need to approach Him in confidence. He made the way for our approach through Jesus Christ. He eliminated fear with His love for us. We don’t need to fear men or demonic powers and especially not our loving God.

Fear lies at the heart of lack of faith. What we are afraid of dominates our thinking. But to pray in faith requires who God is to be foremost in our thinking. We make Him the center of the request, and He welcomes it. Mercy puts His compassion into the mix. Now, even if we are afraid and have doubts, our faith in His merciful kindness assures us He will hear and answer. His mercy fills in the gaps where our faith falls short.

Help thou, Lord, our unbelief, and heal and cleanse and comfort us in our affliction. Because though we fall short, you are more than enough for the quantity of supply, for the amount of strength needed, for the patient endurance required. For the victory which results.

“Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;” (Deuteronomy 7:9)

“Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.” (Psalms 100:3)

“Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.” (Mark 9:23-24)


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Suzanne D. Williams, Author
www.suzannedwilliams.com
www.feelgoodromance.com