Begging for Mercy
As we continue our Sunday journey through Jesus’ beautiful and challenging Beatitudes, which launch his “Teaching on the Mount”, we arrive at this promise: “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” (Matthew 5:7)
Back in 2008, Welsh singer Duffy burst onto the charts belting out her unforgettable hit Mercy with its lines: “I’m begging you for mercy… why won’t you release me?” Duffy attributed its chart success to the fact that "everyone is searching for liberty ... from themselves or from the world they’ve created around them" and "everyone would like to be set free".
Do we all not, at some point and in some way, become beggars for mercy? We plead for patience after poor choices, kindness after carelessness, grace after guilt. We may not sing it with a soul soundtrack, but our hearts hum the tune of desired freedom all the same.
In the Bible, mercy is far richer than mere pity. The Hebrew word chesed speaks of steadfast love, covenant kindness, loyal compassion that refuses to give up. The Greek word eleos means active compassion – tender kindness that rolls up its sleeves and reaches out to help. Mercy is love with muddy boots on. Mercy moves toward misery rather than marching past it.
Jesus not only preached mercy; He practised it perfectly. He touched lepers, welcomed wanderers, forgave failures, and restored the repentant. He taught, “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful” (Luke 6:36). He warned that those unwilling to forgive become trapped in their own prison of bitterness (Matthew 18:21–35). And from the cross itself came that staggering prayer: “Father, forgive them.” (Luke 23:34)
The wonderful paradox of the Kingdom is this: the more mercy we receive from Christ, the more mercy we are able to release to others. Christ’s followers should be the most merciful people on earth - not harsh, hard and humourless, but tender-hearted grace-givers who are fast to forgive.
Every saint has a past, every sinner has a future. Surely we survive solely by God’s mercy. Let us come to Jesus honestly, empty-handed and open-hearted - not just begging for mercy, but becoming bearers of mercy too.
Revd Michael Hogg