Restored by Mercy I Didn't Earn (Psalm 85)

Restored by Mercy I Didn’t Earn

Evening Scripture

Psalm 85
You, Lord, showed favor to your land;
you restored the fortunes of Jacob.
You forgave the iniquity of your people
and covered all their sins.
You set aside all your wrath
and turned from your fierce anger.

Restore us again, God our Savior,
and put away your displeasure toward us.
Will you be angry with us forever?
Will you prolong your anger through all generations?
Will you not revive us again,
that your people may rejoice in you?
Show us your unfailing love, Lord,
and grant us your salvation.

I will listen to what God the Lord says;
he promises peace to his people, his faithful servants—
but let them not turn to folly.
Surely his salvation is near those who fear him,
that his glory may dwell in our land.

Love and faithfulness meet together;
righteousness and peace kiss each other.
Faithfulness springs forth from the earth,
and righteousness looks down from heaven.
The Lord will indeed give what is good,
and our land will yield its harvest.
Righteousness goes before him
and prepares the way for his steps.

Evening Reflection

Psalm 85 reminds us of God’s forgiveness and favor. Where he could have destroyed us with a breath of his “hot anger” because of our sin, he gave us life; he revived us. But as we wait for the Lord to return, and life continues to be difficult, it can seem as though God is still angry. “Will you be angry forever?” We feel spent, tired of fighting our sin and the sins of others, even to the point of death. We have no right to experience the mercy of his life-saving breath - and yet the Holy Spirit revives us.

The Psalmist describes God as righteous, steadfast, and loving. It pleases him to offer peace instead of chaos to the aching hearts of sinners. We might find it difficult to replicate in our day-to-day response to people who hurt us, but we are called to follow the Lord’s example. His righteousness is the path we pursue.

Since we are worthy of God’s wrath but have received salvation instead, we can bring Christ’s peace to those who have hurt us. Transformed, revived hearts actively work towards forgiveness in the humility of knowing that we received the Lord’s mercy when we should have been wiped out by his wrath. There are people drowning in shame over the wrongs they have committed: God’s peace offers a way out. We can bring them the restorative love of the Savior. Whether his love is accepted or not, God IS glorified when we follow his direction and copy his mercy. Rest in that truth.

Evening Prayer

Lord,
With your reviving mercy comes responsibility to move towards others in love and to forgive as we have been forgiven. You restored us - this means we were dead! Let us never forget that being far from you is no trifling inconvenience but death. And you, glorious and loving God, have given us life instead. You are wondrous, and your mercy is so grand a thing that we cannot fathom it, but help us to reflect it as ambassadors to a world that is dying. In Jesus’ precious name,
Amen.

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