Cry for mercy

Text: Psalm 123:2-3 “Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hands of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until that He have mercy upon us, ‘Have mercy upon us O Lord, have mercy upon us; for we are exceedingly filled with contempt.”

Many people today, who are going through so many difficulties, and problems of life may not know that their situations are as result of sin. Some of these sins were committed as a result carelessness of the individual, or group. As a result, they give satan, the enemy the legal ground to afflict them with various kinds of problems. This was the case of the Israelites in the Bible. Judges 6:1-7. Here, the children of Israel did evil in the eyes of the Lord (sin). Consequently, the Lord allowed their enemy the Midianites to overrun them, and they were afflicted severally, sometimes they [the enemy] will appear like grasshoppers, and eat up their farm crops. This was their situation for seven years before they cried out for mercy unto the Lord, and He heard them, and delivered them.

This is the situation many people have found themselves today, albeit ignorantly. So, I do not know what your case is all about, you probably may have made several efforts in the past to overcome, yet there seem to be no solution, now, it is time to cry for mercy. Some of these problems cannot go away except by the intervention of God through His instrument of mercy.

The blind Bartimaeus is another classical example of the power of mercy. Jesus Christ in furtherance of His ministry, went out of Jericho, and on the way, there was the blind Bartimaeus who used to beg for alms on the roadside. As he observed the unusual heavy movement of persons, he made inquiries, and was told that Jesus Christ is passing through that way. He quickly cried out upon the Lord for mercy. While some of the people in the crowd opposed him, as they tried to curtail his outburst, he resisted them, and cried out the more for mercy.

His persistence, and courage, earned him the attention of our Lord Jesus Christ, who quickly called for him, and showed him mercy, which resulted in the restoration of his lost sight (mark 10:46-52).

Jeremiah 3:12 “Go and proclaim these words towards the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the Lord; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you; for I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not keep anger for ever.”

Here, God is calling us back, as many that have been unfaithful, as many that have been prodigal, as many that have sinned, as many that are going through difficulties, and problems.

There are people who have offended God severally in different ways, God is telling us that His mercy is available for restoration, for healing, for deliverance, for blessings.

(Numbers 14:2-4) “And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregations said unto them, would God that we had died in the land of Egypt or would God we had died in this wilderness,” “And wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? Were it not better for us to return into Egypt?”

By murmuring, the children of Israel sinned against God. They also engaged in conspiracy against Moses, and Aaron, the same people God used to successfully bring them out of bondage in Egypt. They forgot their destination, Canaan the promised land, the land of milk and honey.

They forgot it. And were remembering how they used to eat cucumber, garlic, and onion. They preferred the suffering, and eating of cucumber, garlic, onion to the pleasures of the promised land, just because of the wilderness experience.

Similarly, today, many people have denied God because they had wilderness experience. Many have backslidden, many have committed terrible sins. Are you like that? God is calling you back today because of mercy. Cry for mercy, and you shall have mercy.