Mercy

I have a new song, but can't figure out where and when to play it. It is called 'Mercy', but it starts out all about judgement and wrath.

I have this image in my mind of Esther every time I hear the song 'Majesty' (not the Jack Hayford one, the Delirious one). I see her, you know, in this long beautiful gown, looking a little kinda Julia Roberts vulnerable, you know, approaching the throne, knowing she is transgressing the law, hoping against hope that there is enough love there to keep her alive.

She finds mercy. He extends his scepter and she touches it. Intimacy. Intimacy that breeds intimacy - a private banquet. Which breeds another intimate dinner. But that leads to petition.

That's the image I have of us in the house of prayer. We are worthy of judgement before a holy God. Righteous One, You are worthy to judge. Holy One, we are worthy of wrath. Without defense, without excuse, will not the God of all the earth judge rightly? Yeah. He will judge rightly.

We are Abraham, God's friend, saying to Him, pleading with Him, yes I know You are right to judge, but would you spare the city for the sake of fifty, for forty, for thirty, for twenty, for ten? We are Daniel saying WE, God, WE have transgressed Your law. WE have sinned.

And in Joel, we see that question, Who Knows But He May Relent? We repent. We repent and rend our hearts, who knows but He may relent? We humble ourselves before Your mercy. Walking, slowly, hesitantly, but confident in love, confident in Him, and He reaches out His scepter. He reaches out in love and intimacy and mercy.

Would You extend Your scepter to a people who once loved You?
Would You release Your mercy to a nation who once feared You?

Mercy.