Mercy for the criminal!

When was the last time your prayed God would give mercy to a murderer?

I remember hearing a concert quote from Rich Mullins once. I don’t remember exactly what he was talking about but he said, “I know the bible says, ’vengeance is mines says the lord’ but I just want to be about my Father’s business.

I wonder sometimes why we get caught up in thinking that vengeance is what our Father’s business is really about. It’s kind of like when we see Police officers and all we can think is, man I hope they don’t give me a ticket. And we forget that their motto is to protect and serve, not judge and sentence. I saw a police car pulled over on the side of the road the other day and thought, “oh, somebody got caught.” But then as I drove past I realized that the cop was actually helping someone change their tire.

The real truth is, I believe God is a lot more about mercy than he is vengeance. Which seems a little weird considering the next chapter in Genesis is the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. But in Chap 18 Abraham pleads with God face to face for mercy on the people of Sodom. God didn’t have to come and talk to Abraham first. He could have just destroyed them. God didn’t have to stand there and listen to Abraham whittle the number down from 50 to 10 righteous people in order to save the city. But he did. And he agreed with Abraham on every request he made.

I think God is more about repentance and mercy then vengeance. Think about Jonah. Jonah didn’t want to go to Nineveh because he knew that God was merciful and if the Ninevites repented God would show them mercy when Jonah thought they deserved vengeance.

I reflect on this in my own life. How many times do I see some sort of arrest happen on T.V. and think boy I wish those crack heads, meth dealers, child molesters, terrorists would receive mercy. I don’t find myself praying for mercy on those that I think deserve judgment. Abraham is doing just that. He pleads with God for mercy on the one of the most corrupt cities there was.

And God’s mercy is so great a couple of chapters ago he told Abraham that it would be a good four hundred plus years before one of the people groups in Canaan has reached the fullness of their guilt and would need to be driven out from the promise land. So Abraham can’t conquer them right now. Who knows how long he waited and pleaded with Sodom. And he welcomes Abraham’s prayers for mercy even then.

I don’t know about you, but I need more mercy in my heart. I want to want the salvation and healing of the criminal and corrupt, because that is the heart of God. I pray today that he will give me a new merciful heart. What about you?