Religion column: God's mercy unfathomable, everlasting

This past week I was reading about God's mercy. Paul wrote that God was rich in mercy. (Ephesians 2:3-5).

The definition of mercy related to how God views us is not getting what one deserves. It means withholding of one's punishment. If you are like me, I have many times deserved punishment. Thoughts, acts, deeds, schemes, plans to get back at someone ... even if I have not acted on them, those thoughts have sure have consumed me at times. Just dwelling on those things has drained my mind and the result is I have not recognized the good things that God has done for me. And contrary to how the Lord thinks, the world seems to enjoy it when someone gets what he or she deserves.

So I decided to not necessarily focus on all that we have done, but focus on the concept of God being rich in mercy.

What is the definition of rich? Rich means abundantly supplied with resources, means and of great value or worth. Rich here refers to the capacity that God has to show mercy.

To get my mind around God's riches, I compare capacity to something I know. That is when I looked up some facts in regard to the word "rich."

Is the Earth rich in water? Yes ... the capacity of the Earth to hold water is that two thirds of the earth's surface is ocean.

Rainforests have a rich capacity for plant species. More than half of the world's estimated 10 million species of plants, animals and insects live in the tropical rainforests.

The U.S. is rich in the world gold holdings. The total gold reserves of the U.S. equal 8,965.6 tons and would be valued at approximately $418.39 billion in today's market.

But all those facts pale in comparison to God's riches. With all that God owns, the world and all beyond that is known and unknown, the Bible says that God is rich in mercy.

Scripture proves it.

He has lavished his love and mercy upon us. Jesus said that hHe came that we might live an abundant life spiritually (John 10:10).

Jesus in his mercy died for us. (Ephesians. 2:8-10)

God is rich and abounding in mercy. (Psalm 103:8).

God is "full of compassion" (Psalm 111:4).

God is slow to anger. "The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy." (Psalm 145:8)

His mercy is far greater than the combined oceans — washing over sins with Jesus' blood and forgetting our sins. His mercy is far greater than the vegetation on all the Earth. These plants provide food and medicines for us but His mercy nourishes and feeds our souls. His mercy is far greater than the gold on all the earth a million times more because His mercy is eternal.

God does not give us what we deserve or punishes us according to our iniquities. The Psalmist wrote: "He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward those who fear him; As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear him. For he knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust." (Psalm 103:10 -14)

So God's mercy is of such worth, meaning and value that we cannot fathom it. God's capacity for mercy cannot be defined by earthly standards.

While all the Earth's riches will fade and be consumed, God's mercy toward us is everlasting.

Judy Brandon is a Clovis resident. Contact her at:

cbrandon@plateautel.net