“Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.” Micah 7:18
Is there another? Isaiah reminds us in 44:6, 44:8, and 45:5, “There is no God beside me.” Micah penned it so well when he said, “Who is a God like unto thee… he delighteth in mercy.” Countless times I have sat in different venues from homes to work settings, from schoolhouse to church house and heard the same content, conversation, and communication—humanity that will not let things go.
We have bought into the world’s idea of liberation and deliverance, a constant reminder of what we are no longer. “Hi, I’m Joe. I’m a recovering alcoholic. I have been clean and sober 10, 20, 25 years.” I understand accountability, but somewhere, we have to learn to walk away from what used to be.
I am a firm believer that as long as you claim it, carry it, talk about it, and keep it alive, you will continue to wrestle with it. The reason our past haunts us is we continually drag it into the future with what’s known to the church world as a testimony. Too many times, we answer this by dragging all the dirt, filth, muck, and grime with us into the future, causing an uneasiness to immediately be invited back into our lives.
This year, try something different. When asked your testimony or story, change the main character of the story. Take, me, my, and I out and talk about Him. “My story is I have been to Calvary where deliverance, forgiveness, mercy, and restoration was granted to me through the Blood of Jesus who delighteth in Mercy, and Scripture says He will have mercy and compassion upon whom He chooses (Romans 9:15).”
Our prayer for you this week: May you come to realize you do not have to drag your past into your future. You have met the God who delights in mercy, Jesus.
