Luke 15:3-4

In our verses for today, Jesus begins a parable which He fleshes out in His encounter with Zacchaeus a bit later in Luke:

9 Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost." Luke 19:9-10 (NIV)

Our Savior came to save. Of all the different religions in this world, Christianity is the only one that God condescends to come down to man - seeking him at his own low level. Think about Adam and Eve right after the fall. Prior to sin entering on the scene, they had had a completely unique experience of literally being able to walk with God in the Garden of Eden – totally naked yet not ashamed. Then sin enters on the scene and they hide from their seeking God:

8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the LORD God called to the man, "Where are you?" Gen 3:8-9 (NIV)

What mercy He bestows to His lost sheep! Charles H. Spurgeon suggests that we “meditate for a moment on the mercy of God” – I believe it will encourage our hearts today. He states the following gold nuggets regarding the mercy of God:

• It is tender mercy: With gentle, loving touch, He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds. He is as gracious in the manner of His mercy as in the matter of it.
• It is great mercy: There is nothing little in God; His mercy is like Himself – it is infinite. You cannot measure it. His mercy is so great that it forgives great sins to great sinners, after great lengths of time, and then gives great favours and great privileges, and raises us up to great enjoyments in the great heaven of the great God.
• It is undeserved mercy: As indeed all true mercy must be, for deserved mercy is only a misnomer for justice. There was no right on the sinner’s part to the kind consideration of the Most High; had the rebel been doomed at once to eternal fire he would have richly merited the doom, and if delivered from wrath, sovereign love alone has found a cause, for there was none in the sinner himself.
• It is rich mercy: Some things are great, but have little efficacy in them, but this mercy is a cordial to your drooping spirits; a golden ointment to your bleeding wounds; a heavenly bandage to your broken bones; a royal chariot for your weary feet; a bosom of love for your trembling heart.
• It is manifold mercy: As Bunyan says, ‘All the flowers in God’s garden are double’. There is no single mercy. You may think you have but one mercy, but you shall find it to be a whole cluster of mercies.
• It is abounding mercy: Millions have received it, yet far from its being exhausted, it is as fresh, as full, and as free as ever.
• It is unfailing mercy: It will never leave thee. If mercy be thy friend, mercy will be with thee in temptations to keep thee from yielding; with thee in trouble to prevent thee from sinking; with thee living to be the light and life of thy countenance; and with thee dying to be the joy of thy soul when earthly comfort is ebbing fast.

21 Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: 22 Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 24 I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him." Lam 3:21-24 (NIV)

8 He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8 (NIV)