receive mercy
01.14.2013 
Writing about mercy with Jenn Lebow on Mercy Mondays ended up on my highlight list for 2012. As I researched and read about mercy, it made me thirsty. Thirsty, that is, for mercy.
Quickly I saw that my little Campus Crusade definition “to withhold a judgment deserved” did not do justice to this term. Perusing the Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, I discovered that the Hebrew term for mercy also means womb. Hebrew is a language of few words, actually. Often the complex abstract words have literal meanings. As a lover of words, this delights me. And so I wrote a definition of mercy from my study of it:
Mercy is a woman. A woman with a womb. She is strong and tender. Her arms open wide to embrace and hold fragile, war-weary souls. She is not faint nor is she shy. Her strength in the face of fear and cavalier sin overwhelms the crudest sinner. Her ancient face is lined with furrows of kindness and gentleness. Goodness marks her days. As we fall into her embrace and burrow into her womb, life-giving blood courses through our souls. Sins evaporate. Shame flees. Forgiveness triumphs.
My verse for 2013 is Hebrews 4:16. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Receive mercy. Find grace.
As I’ve mused these four powerful words, I am perplexed somewhat by the meaning. Nearly all the translations I have read order the words just like it is above. Receive mercy. Find grace. When I drill down for the meaning, I find that to receive is to reach for or to take with the hand. Perhaps the best meaning is to obtain. It’s not passive.
God extends mercy to us when he spares us from the consequences of our sins. In a way, mercy speaks of past sin. A pliable, humble heart realizes its need for mercy. Grace refers to the future. I will write more about that soon.
Mercy is something that we, as believers, extend. While grace is the work of God’s Holy Spirit, mercy is something I can give to others. I typically say “extend grace” when I mean mercy. I cannot affect another’s future with grace, can I? Well, maybe. Sometimes mercy and grace create a labyrinth of which came first the chicken or the egg.
Mercy stands in direct contrast to resentment or bitterness. If I let the past hurts build up and don’t deal with specific emotions and hurts, a root of bitterness grows quickly. When I confess and pull out that root, a space is left. That space is a womb. Mercy can take root there and flourish and bless.
May we actively work the soil of our soul to dig up bitterness and let the pregnant womb of mercy give birth to grace.
grace, mercy Monday, womb
Reader Comments (2)
I LOVE your definition of mercy. I'm actually on the way to my Bible Study and would like to share this for discussion. Thanks for the inspiration!
Gigi, I am so honored that you have spent so much time exploring mercy with me. Your thirst helps me keep seeking for the Living Water with you. Love you and love this post.