But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.
Psalm 86:15 (NIV)
Merciful and Gracious
Mercy killing in Canada is not a defence in law and someone charged with murder cannot use compassion as a justification: legally, it’s irrelevant. Yet, with the notable exception of Robert Latimer, Canadian courts have rarely sentenced mercy killers to serious jail time. In the vast majority of such cases, juries have voted to acquit, or the Crown has opted to reduce the charge from second-degree murder to a lesser offence, such as manslaughter.
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Two of the most beautiful words in the English language are grace and mercy. In the dictionary, grace is defined as courteous goodwill. That means it’s not asked for nor deserved, but is freely given. Mercy, on the other hand, is the compassion and kindness shown to someone whom it is in one’s power to punish or harm. It is an act meant to relieve someone of their suffering. The God we discover in the Bible is filled with both grace and mercy. Psalm 86:15 says “But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.” We have all let ourselves, others, and God down in so many ways. Until we experience the grace and mercy of Jesus, we carry around our sin, guilt and shame. In Jesus, God freely offers His grace and mercy, removing our sin and lifting our guilt and shame. If you haven’t experienced this, offer your guilt and shame in faith to Jesus. By grace He will transform your heart and you will never be the same again. In His mercy He will forgive you completely and you will begin your new life of walking in liberty and victory. He is gracious and He is merciful.
These have been words from the heart.
Bob Beasley