Having Mercy is the Lord’s Glory
Like moths that are drawn to the light bulb or burning candle, we are attracted to the brilliance and shining splendor of glory. But unless moth is driven away by the heat of the bulb or the flame, it will be burned to death. Moses begged God to show him his glory. (Exodus 33:18ff) The Lord tells Moses that he will make his goodness pass before him and will proclaim before him his name. Yahweh declares that he will also gracious to whom he would be gracious and show mercy to whom he will show mercy. “But,” he said, “You cannot see my face for man shall not see me and live.” God directed Moses to stand on a certain rock and while his glory passed by, Yahweh hid Moses in the cleft in the rock and covered him with his hand. Once he had passed by, he would allow Moses to see his back but not his face.
The Collect for the third Sunday in lent reminds us that there is another side to God’s glory. We pray, “O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy…” God could have allowed Moses to see his face on the mountain, but Moses would have been fried to a crisp. God didn’t have to show off his glory. Rather he showed mercy to Moses and allowed him to live.
God’s glory in his mercy is shown to us in Jesus Christ. The glory of his mercy is not shown into our eyes, but into our hearts. John writes at the beginning of his Gospel that with the coming of the Word into flesh we have the light that enlightens the world. “And we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father full of Grace and truth.” Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 4:9, “for God…has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Thus we are able to say that God’s glory is always to have mercy. Therefore, we ask that God would also be gracious to those who have strayed back into the darkness of unbelief. We ask that God would bring them to repentance and steadfast faith, so that they might put their arms around and hold on for dear life to the unchangeable truth of God’s Word.
It’s worth noting that we do not pray for ourselves in the Collect for this Sunday. We pray for the straying. If we look at the Introit, psalm 1:5 & 5:4-8, we see that the end of those who stray from the Lord’s ways has negative consequences. They perish and cannot dwell with the Lord, nor stand before him. Rather their end is destruction. Knowing this we do well to pray with sincere hearts filled not only with love for God but love for our fellow human beings that they like ourselves. might enter the Lord’s house through the abundance of his steadfast love shown in Christ.
Comments