Doves On Distant Oaks

The Mercy Seat

We are all lawbreakers. Who among us has not broken a law at one time or another in our lives. Just think of all the times just in traffic. Perhaps it was a rolling stop at a stop sign, going a little faster than the speed limit, or racing through a yellow light (yes, yellow means stop). For me, it was that last one that got me.

My wife and I had just spent a full day in a city about 1½ hours from where we lived. We had done a lot of running around, trying to accomplish what we could so we wouldn't have to go back. Finally we were finished and started the trek home.

I was tired, weary from all the activity, and truth be told, feeling a tad lazy. We were passing through a small town with a slow speed limit, which I was faithfully following. Believe it or not, I was even going five miles under the limit. Then the yellow light flashed on at the single traffic light in town. I could have stopped, but I just didn't feel like it, so I went through. Unfortunately, I was going so slow that I hadn't cleared the intersection before the light turned red. What do you suppose was sitting at the front of the line of cars waiting to turn from the cross street? You guessed it ... a police cruiser.

On came the lights and I pulled over. When the officer came up to the window he told me what I had done wrong, I simply nodded and handed him my license. What was I to argue about? I had broken the law and I knew it. I was not happy, but willing to accept the consequences. Surprisingly, a few minutes later he walked back, handed me my license and said, "Have a good day, sir." He then turned and walked away without another word. I had no idea why he decided not to give me a ticket, though I certainly deserved one. He had simply shown me mercy.

We are also spiritual lawbreakers as well. It doesn't matter which law we have broken, every law is looked at in the same way by God. In fact, if we base our faith on the entire law, when we break one law we break them all—this is what the book of James in the Bible tells us.

The gold lid on top of the Ark of the Covenant, with the two cherubim on either end, wings folded toward each other, was known as the Mercy Seat. Supposedly there was a cloud that hung over it and the voice of God came out from between the angel's wings when He had instructions to give the High Priest. Its translation from Hebrew literally means a wiping out or cleansing.

That is what Jesus did for us by going to the cross. That is why we have freedom under the blood of Jesus Christ, not to go gladly break the law, but to be given mercy when we do. The Mercy Seat reminds us that God is a merciful God.

There is a caution to that. To receive mercy, we must exhibit mercy as well. In order to be forgiven, we must forgive. There is no mercy for those who refuse to show mercy to others. That's why we must forgive that affront, those hurtful words spoken about us, that provocation to anger, that slight from someone else no matter how big or small. Those who show mercy, receive it.

For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

– James 2:10-13

Keywords: Mercy, Ark, Covenant

Comment publicly to Writing.com community below,
or comment privately to: [e-mail]