“Good Friday Is A Demonstration Of Mercy!”

“Good Friday Is A Demonstration Of Mercy!”
Salvation is not a commodity reserved for the highest bidder! If it were so, only the rich would be saved because they would be able to sacrifice and offer to God the best that money can buy.
But as it is, the Lord says, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.”
The Hebrew word translated as mercy refers to right conduct towards one’s neighbour and loyalty to the Lord.
This is the sum of what God requires from us in order to be saved. Sacrifice without faithfulness to the Lord’s will is not acceptable.
Mercy is an attribute of God and it is expected that what we receive from God we must pass same to others. No-one captures this better than Shakespeare in “Merchant of Venice” when Portia pleads with Shylock the Jew:
“The quality of mercy is not strained. It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven Upon the place beneath. It is twice blest: It blesseth him that gives and him that takes…mercy is…enthronèd in the hearts of kings; It is an attribute to God Himself; And earthly power doth then show likest God’s
When mercy seasons justice. Therefore, Jew, Though justice be thy plea, consider this: That in the course of justice none of us Should see salvation. We do pray for mercy, And that same prayer doth teach us all to render The deeds of mercy.”
Mercy stands above law and justice.
Shakespeare follows in the same vein when Jesus told the Pharisees, “If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent…”(Mt.12:7-8).
Good Friday reminds us that God considered mercy above law and justice. The death of Jesus on this day is God’s demonstration of his mercy to us. If God was to go by justice, the law would be the rule and the verdict will be condemnation. But taking the route of mercy we have been redeemed. This is what turns a Bad Friday into Good Friday! Our bones may be crushed today, but “on the third day he will restore us” when Jesus becomes the risen Lord, the Christ. For this we have to rejoice.
All that God requires of us now is, *”Let us return to the Lord…”(Hosea 6:1-6) by showing mercy. That is, having a right conduct towards our neighbours and being loyal to the Lord in thought, word and deed! Let us keep aside every weight and sin which clings so closely. Let us we run with perseverance the race that is before us, looking only to the same Jesus who is the pioneer and perfector of our faith.
Good Friday prayer: Father thank you for your show of love and mercy in the death of your Son for my sake. Amen!
Have a blessed Good Friday! Peace be with you!