The superhero show started out as expected. A tragic accident preceded the acquisition of superpowers. With the help of a lovable team, the superhero realized his potential and helped protect others- while investigating unsolved personal tragedy.
It was all run of the mill, perfectly enjoyable…and then time travel entered the mix. Out of nowhere.
Turning on a dime, the basis of the story all hinged on the concept of legacy. Good and evil were at the mercy of memory.
As someone who loves stories, I understand that every gripping plot relies on this: the characters must be at the mercy of something.
We Live Like We’re At the Mercy of…
Sometimes we live our lives like we’re at the mercy of….
- That next dream working out
- The other person loving us back
- Finally proving our worth
- Other’s impressions of us
- Our reputation
- Illness, cancer, or a medical treatment
The Problem With Misplaced Mercy-Seeking
Whenever we live like something must happen or else, we’re committing the sin of idolatry. We give power and authority to whatever we think we are at the mercy of. That’s a form of worship, and idol-worship is crippling.
So many people in Scripture made this error:
- King Saul lived like he was at the mercy of maintaining power. He feared losing authority more than dying!
- The Israelites believed they were at the mercy of many idols and leaders, so they kept serving them even as God proved time and again who He was.
- Many of the Sanhedrin in the New Testament believed they were at the mercy of Caesar and the Roman Empire. They thought Jesus was a threat to the security their government and religiosity offered, so they plotted to kill Him.
Why God’s Mercy is Enough
God’s mercy is wonderful, comforting, and emboldening news for us. As Romans 8 highlights: nothing can separate from the love of Christ.
In this passage, God highlights the many threats we may face as believers- trouble, hardship, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger, sword. We hear about the potential threat of powers, principalities, the present…even the past and the future.
Yet God declares we are not at the mercy of any but Him. And He will keep us as His own.
Being at the mercy of God is a gift!
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Bethany, wow! This is a power-packed post. I never thought about this before, at least not in this context:
“Whenever we live like something must happen or else, we’re committing the sin of idolatry. We give power and authority to whatever we think we are at the mercy of.”
We always have a choice in what we believe, don’t we? Thanks for the exhortation to believe in the power of Jesus more than circumstances. Thanks for giving me good things to ponder!
Thank you Jeanne! I usually feel like I don’t have a choice (or like I’m just following logic, not making a decision.) Praise God we always have a choice and we only at His mercy!! Thanks for pondering with me!