Thursday, July 9, 2026
Bible in a Year: Proverbs 22 | Luke 7
Characteristics of God: He is merciful.
When you think about God, what comes to mind?
Almighty, everlasting, creator, healer, gracious, merciful … the list goes on and on.
According to an AI-generated inquiry, “Many, including Pope John Paul II and St. Thomas Aquinas, have argued that mercy is the greatest attribute, as it is ‘love’s fruit’ in action, reaching out to brokenness.”
God's merciful nature is evident from the very beginning. When Adam and Eve chose to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, God could have ended their lives, and humanity's story would have ended with them. Instead, he responded with mercy. He made garments to cover their shame (Genesis 3:21), promised that one day the offspring of the woman would defeat the serpent (Genesis 3:15), and removed them from the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:23), preventing them from living forever in a fallen, broken condition.
God's mercy didn't ignore the consequences of sin, but it did provide hope in the midst of them. Adam and Eve were allowed to live, raise a family, and become part of God's unfolding plan of redemption. That promise in the garden ultimately found its fulfillment in Jesus Christ. The God who covered Adam and Eve's shame would one day send his own Son to bear our sin on the cross. As Romans 5:8 reminds us, "God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners." What began as a promise in Eden became our salvation at Calvary.
From the first pages of Scripture to the last, God's mercy has never been about overlooking sin. It has always been about making a way for sinners to be restored to him.
You see, mercy is not getting the punishment that we deserve. And God’s mercy goes beyond not punishing us.
Deuteronomy 4:31
“For the Lord your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon you or destroy you or forget the solemn covenant he made with your ancestors.”
Although Moses wrote this verse to the new generation of Israelites just before they entered the Promised Land, it’s still relevant today. Moses is reassuring all of us about God’s constant love, and reminding us that God’s promises are reliable.
Even when we fail, our merciful God welcomes us back into a loving relationship. Even when we continuously disobey and abandon him, God will never abandon us or stop pursuing our hearts.
God’s mercy is a gift, not something we could ever earn. It is freely given to all of us as an invitation to live transformed lives, responding with gratitude, purpose, and a willingness to say “yes” to wherever he leads next.
Questions:
Has God extended mercy to you when you didn’t deserve it?
Who can you extend mercy to by forgiving them for hurting you instead of seeking revenge?
Next Steps:
If you want to dig deeper on this topic, check out gotquestions.org to find out: What does it mean that God is merciful?
Prayer:
Dear heavenly Father, I confess my sins and ask for mercy. Thank you for the sacrificial death of your Son as the ultimate gift of mercy. Help me to extend mercy to those who have wronged me. Guide me on how to replace resentment with compassion. I love my Lord, and it’s in his name that I pray. Amen.
Series Theme Verse:
Jeremiah 9:23-24a
This is what the Lord says: “Don’t let the wise boast in their wisdom, or the powerful boast in their power, or the rich boast in their riches. But those who wish to boast should boast in this alone: that they truly know me and understand that I am the Lord….”
Written by Jenn Macke, a Findlay attendee and regular contributor to the Daily.