Blessed are...

Mercy and Grace

“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” Matthew 5:7

What is the difference between mercy and grace? When I am hard-pressed by the trials of life, when misfortune or sickness have darkened my door – then I need mercy. But when my trials are the result of my sin, or the poor choices that I have made – then I need grace. Mercy brings relief to those who are oppressed; it cures our diseases and rectifies what is wrong. Mercy is for the hungry and the sick, the outcast and the refugee. God is merciful. Though we may endure terrible trials, they do not last forever. He gives us strength and courage to endure.[1] These are the gifts of mercy.

Grace, on the other hand, has more to do with pardon than with relief. When I have sinned against God’s law, broken His commandments and not kept covenant with Him, then I do not need mercy as much as I need grace. While mercy cures, grace reinstates. God’s amazing grace, His unmerited love, enables Him to look upon us, not in judgment, but in forgiveness.[2]

Of course, the two blessings are closely related. Often, when grace is poured upon me and I know the joy of sins forgiven, then I also experience relief from some suffering I have endured. But this need not be the case. Forgiveness always accompanies pardon, but it does not always take away our pain. There may be consequences of our rebellion that we simply have to live with. Yet, God is merciful, and we have His promise that we shall not suffer more than we can endure.[3] And as we follow Him, we will discover that we cannot heal every hurt or relieve every pain. But we must want to do so, for God calls us to be merciful, too.


Gracious God,
I praise You for Your love outpoured upon those,
like me, who do not deserve it.
I stand in awe of the grace that claims me, and that covers my sin.
May I be gracious and forgiving, merciful and tender-hearted,
following the example of Your Son, my Savior,
Jesus Christ my Lord.
Amen.



[1] I Peter 1:6
[2] Romans 5:17
[3] I Corinthians 10:13