This morning the Lord used Gracie (our 12 year old cocker) to teach me a lesson on mercy.  Between 4 and 5am Gracie pitter-pattered down the hallway and into our bedroom several times.  Finally, in sleep deprived exasperation I jumped out of bed, slammed on my slippers and stormed out of the bedroom chasing the dog down the hallway and out the garage door.  On my way back down the dark hallway to our bedroom, you know what happened…  Yes, I stepped in it.  Immediately, after feeling the squish, I stopped to take my slipper off so as not to bring it into the bedroom (or so I thought).    However, when I turned the lights on I could see (even without my glasses) tracks and smudges from the bedroom door, down the hall, through the dining area, to the utility door…  I fully awoke (as well as Sue).

I spent the next 20 minutes on my hands and knees cleaning the floor while the dog with drooping ears sheepishly watched me from around the kitchen island.  I can’t remember if I spoke these words to the dog or if my thoughts were so loud that I thought that I said them to Gracie, “That’s it! You’re out of here.  You’re going back with your master (Joann) after Christmas!”

If dogs don’t have a conscience, why do they look so guilty when they’ve done something naughty or disgusting?  While on my knees, wiping up her mess, I stared at the dog debating in my head, “Do I wring your neck or welcome you back?”  Then my conscience worked on me.  I opened my hand, palm side up and called Gracie to me.  She immediately came to me with downcast eyes and drooping ears.  As I gently stroked her head, she slid under my knee in her submissive posture.  With her head in my hands, I said, “If it weren’t for your sweet spirit…”  And then the thought occurred to me.  “No, if it weren’t for my mercy, you’d be out of here.” Gracie does have a sweet spirit…most of the time. But she’s created more than a few inconvenient moments. If I didn’t choose to show her mercy, she wouldn’t have a happy home with a comfortable couch to lie on.

And then the Lord nudged my mind.  He doesn’t show me mercy because of my sweet spirit, but in spite of my short fuse, contrary attitudes, critical spirit and idolatrous desires.  The mercy I experience depends on His goodness, not mine.

As I thought more about it this morning, Zechariah 3:1-5 came to mind. Zechariah envisioned Joshua, the high priest, standing before the Lord with “filthy garments.”  The literal translation of the Hebrew word for “filthy” is “excrement smeared.”  Can you smell the picture?  Zechariah also saw Satan standing beside Joshua accusing him before the Lord.  Satan pointed out the obvious.  Joshua’s filthiness disqualified him from being high priest.  He did not deserve to be standing before the Lord.  He deserved judgment, to be cast out of the presence of the Lord.  BUT the angel of the Lord (which I take to be the pre-incarnate Son of God) initiated mercy and grace.  Instead of giving Joshua what he deserved, the Lord proclaimed, “Remove the excrement smeared garments from him. Behold I have taken your iniquity away from you and I will clothe you with pure vestments (lit. fine robes, rich garments).”  I wonder who was most surprised by the Lord’s proclamation of mercy – Joshua or Satan?

I am so glad that the Lord didn’t look at me with my excrement smeared heart and say, “Away with you, Greg! I can’t stand the smell of you.” Instead the Scriptures say in Colossians 1:21-22, “And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his human body by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and free from accusation before him.”  I love that phrase, “free from accusation.”  I don’t need Satan accusing me, my conscience does a pretty good job on its own.  But I frequently need to be reminded of His mercy!

Gracie couldn’t clean up her poop. And Joshua couldn’t change his filthy clothes. And I can’t clean up my excrement smeared heart.  Someone else had to do it.  Praise God, He initiated mercy by sending His Son to take my sin and clothe me with His righteousness!  What an awesome God!

So you might say that the Lord intervened on behalf of Gracie this morning by reminding me, “Greg show Gracie mercy because I’ve shown you mercy.” 😊