Mercy

Stephen Charnock was another great Puritan preacher.  The following thoughts were stimulated when I read a sermon of Charnock’s entitled A Discourse of Mercy Received.  One of the verses Charnock referred to in his sermon was Psalm 77:11, which reads: “I shall remember the deeds of the Lord; surely I will remember Your wonders of old.”  We should continually remember the merciful things God has done for us throughout our lives, with admiration and gratitude.  We should observe His undeserved mercies, not only as works, but as wonders.  Thinking back over past mercies, as well as new ones, should fill us with new astonishments.  Paul never looked back upon God’s mercies in his conversion without fresh admiration.  1 Timothy 1:12-13, written near the end of his life, is a typical doxology: “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service; even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor.  And yet I was shown mercy.”  God’s mercy overcame all!  The great apostle never tired of expressing his gratitude for past mercies, and his statements always reflect genuine feeling.  I always find them thrilling to read, and I always leave them longing to have a  such heart.  The incredible mercy of God, says Charnock, should not find a Christian for a minute without a thankful heart.  Charnock contends that admiration of God is an important part of the believer’s relationship to Him.