The Memory of Mercy

Reading: Isaiah 63:7–14

I will tell of the kindnesses of the Lord, 

the deeds for which He is to be praised, 

according to all the Lord has done for us.

Isaiah 63:7

Isaiah 63 invites us to practice the "Great Exchange" by trading our short-term anxieties for the long-term memory of God’s faithfulness. In this passage, the prophet looks back at Israel’s history—not to dwell on their failures, but to recount the "abundance of His mercy." Isaiah reminds us that God is not a distant observer; in all His people's affliction, He too was afflicted. This is the heart of receiving mercy: knowing that God carries us like a father carries his child. Isaiah shows us that what we could never afford was a God who would willingly share in our suffering to bring us out of the depths.

However, the "Great Exchange" also involves a difficult transition: moving from being a recipient of mercy to becoming a conduit of it. This shift often requires us to forgive those who have "grieved His Holy Spirit" (v. 10). The story of Corrie ten Boom perfectly illustrates this struggle. After surviving the horrors of a concentration camp, she was approached by a former guard who asked for her forgiveness. She felt paralyzed by bitterness until she realized that she could not produce mercy from her own strength. She prayed, "Jesus, give me Your forgiveness," and as she reached out her hand, the "Great Exchange" occurred—God’s infinite mercy flowed through her where her own had run dry. We are reminded that “mercy does not just forgive the debt; it restores the debtor.”

To live in the abundance of God’s mercy is to realize that we are part of a continuous "movement" of grace. Just as the Holy Spirit gave the Israelites rest after their wandering (v. 14), we are called to bring that same rest to others. Jesus’ words, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy” (Matthew 5:7), are not a simple moral rule but a revelation about how life in God’s kingdom works. Mercy is the family resemblance of those who live near the heart of God. When we choose to remember His mercy instead of our grievances, we become a bridge for others to find their way home. Like a "fountain that is always full," God’s mercy provides enough for us to receive our fill and still have an abundance to pour out on a thirsty world.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we thank You for the abundance of Your mercy and for the way You have carried us through every affliction. We confess that we often forget Your kindnesses when we face new trials. Teach us to practice the "Great Exchange," trading our bitterness for Your grace and our fear for Your faithfulness. Help us to be conduits of Your love, extending to others the same restoration You have so freely given to us. Amen.