This week in our study, Living in God’s Presence, our lesson was about His Enduring Mercy. So let’s talk a little about mercy. It is God’s perfect love that drives mercy. Let’s look at a few definitions that I mentioned during my talk —- Mercy, compassion, kindness and justice are the characteristics of God
- Mercy- Compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm.
- Hessed- God’s loving kindness
- Mercy triumphs over judgment
- Jehovah name reveals God’s Divine Nature
- EL- strong and mighty
- Rachum- merciful
You see, the balance of Hessed and mercy is justice. And on the cross, mercy and justice kissed. What a beautiful image! 
In our study this week, we continued in Exodus, specifically looking at Exodus 33. Here are some ways that we see characteristics of Christ in this story —
Comparing Moses and Jesus
- Moses – the deliverer from bondage in Egypt
- Jesus – the Deliverer from bondage of sin and death
- Moses – the one who interceded for sins of Israel
- Jesus – who intercedes at right hand of the Father for us
Everything in scripture points to Christ – isn’t that so amazing? So what does this tell us about us?
We are those stiff necked people like the Israelites. They had forgotten the promises of god. They grumbled and complained, and we do the same thing. Fear causes us to grumble and complain. What are you fearing today?
But God…
God’s mercies are new every morning. We need God’s mercy but some of us think we don’t deserve it – we think we deserve justice. He will cover the injustice with his mercy because mercy kissed justice on the cross. I encourage you to reflect on that image today.
Joanne, may God continue to bless you, and pour into you as you continue to bless and pour the word of God into us week after week! Simply amazing!