Day 5 - Hope in God's Mercy

Child of Hope: An Advent Devotional

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Hope in God’s Mercy

But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His unfailing love.
Psalm 33:18

Did you ever feel that someone was watching you? It’s not a pleasant feeling. You wonder what you did wrong. Why is someone taking such an interest in you? Surely, their intentions cannot be good? No-one wants to live in an Orwellian society where our every move is monitored, our every action held up to scrutiny.

Of course, the whole concept changes when you know who is watching you. A child may take delight in breaking away from her parents, but deep down she is comforted knowing that Mom always has her eye on her, that Dad will not let any harm come to her. It’s the same when we fall in love. Our eyes meet across the room and a connection is made. “He’s looking at me!” We don’t resent a look of love.

When God looks at us, His is a look of love. The Hebrew word for that love is “hesed,” which is often translated as mercy or loving-kindness. When we live with a proper awe for the God who made us, then His eyes are upon us. When we place our hope in His unfailing love, then we should know that He is always watching out for us. Mercy is the aspect of God’s character that responds to our misery. Sin is miserable. Alienation from God, which is caused by sin, makes us want to weep. We feel lost, alone, afraid. But if, in response to His love, we turn back to Him and, like the prodigal, find Him running to greet us, then misery is overcome by mercy. He loves us. He will not take His eyes off us – this is our hope.

Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
source of all mercy and love,
we confess that we have wandered far from Your ways,
in our pride, we have sought out our own paths;
yet in Your loving-kindness You have brought us home.
May we be content to stay in Your presence;
may our hope in Your mercy never fail.
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.