Mercy Streak

Mercy Streak


Oh God, listen to me and hear my request. Open your eyes and see our wretchedness. See how your city lies in ruins-for everyone knows it’s yours. We do not ask because we deserve help, but because you are so merciful.
Daniel 9:18 NEW LIVING TRANSLATION


Whenever I pray, I usually ask God to forget my sin, blot it out! I ask him to look away from my sin and look to the empty cross that his son was on. I want God to look at the empty tomb. I always want him to forget my failures and look to the one that succeeded on my behalf. Perhaps Daniel knows something about God that I have yet to fully grasp, his mercy streak. I have a grumpy streak, so says my wife. I drive to work behind people I am sure have a mean streak. But Daniel sees a mercy streak in God. Maybe he has derived his opinion because he saw God’s mercy in the closed mouth of a hungry lion. Maybe because he saw his three friends thrown into a giant fire pit, and when they came out alive and unharmed, they didn’t even smell like smoke. What circumstances have you been in that make you think of God’s mercy?

In Daniel’s prayer, he takes a chance and trusts God and says, “See our wretchedness.” He asks God to see our failure and our sin and be the God we know you are. A God of mercy toward the ones you love. Protect your good name and your reputation and be merciful to us. You are famous for it! We do not ask because we deserve help, but because you are so merciful.