Eyes of Mercy reminds us that to immerse ourselves in God’s Word is to soak in the very depths of His heart. The eyes of our understanding are enlightened as we gain revelation of His character. This impacts how we view ourselves and how we view others. For the very throne of God declares, “Mercy triumphs over judgment!” The death in our nature is carried away by the River of Life that issues from His throne. Washed by these waters, we discover that there is no force stronger than God’s love for His people.

  • James 1:17-18 (VOICE) Every good gift bestowed, every perfect gift received comes to us from above, courtesy of the Father of lights. He is consistent. He won’t change His mind or play tricks in the shadows. We have a special role in His plan. He calls us to life by His message of truth so that we will show the rest of His creatures His goodness and love.
  • Matthew 5:7 (NKJV) Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy.
  • Exodus 34:6 (VOICE) Then the Eternal One passed before him. Eternal One: The Eternal God, full of compassion and mercy, slow to anger, and abundant in loyal love and truth….

A word from Elisa Eaton of Waiting in the Wings is connected to this.

The response this lion evokes is precisely what the Father has been showing me about Himself in the area of grace. Grace is about how someone stronger can be a refuge and helper for someone who is weaker. I feel like, because of those deeply merciful eyes, I could go and hug that lion and bury my face in His mane. Instead of fearing I might be destroyed, I know I would be safe because He is my friend.

God sees the afflictions of His children and extends mercy in the midst of them. He knows our frame and that we are but dust. Often when I cry out to the Father over my failings and my weakness, He will be quick to remind me that I have “grace upon grace upon grace.” I admit that this word has been so overused that, for me, it had no meaning. To hear I had triple grace brought no comfort. If I am broken, how does grace actually fix me?

Yet grace is a powerful and active attribute of God’s nature. Mercy and compassion are all wrapped up in it. In Hebrew thought, one of the pictures of grace is a superior person who stoops down to bestow kindness on their inferior. I am always given strength when Abba stoops down to bestow favor upon me. It overwhelms me that the amazing gifts and calling the Father has given me are irrevocable. He never changes His mind about us or His purpose for our lives. And this is precisely what draws me to try harder when I’m ready to give up. My Father’s grace gives me the strength to dust myself off, get back up on my horse, and continue with my commission.

People who have this attribute of grace have this same impact on others. Grace-filled people are a refuge and a help to the helpless. Like their Father, they look upon others with eyes of mercy. They are moved with compassion to bestow this same rich love and lift up the beggar from the ash heap.

This is a series of Prophetic Nuggets from “Daily Downloads from Heaven” by Meghan Williams that are connected by scripture / theme. It is a series of four Prophetic Nuggets based on Psalm 17:5-8. 

Psalm 17:5-8 (VOICE) I will press on —moving steadfastly forward along Your path. I will not look back. I will not stumble. I am crying aloud to You, O True God, for I long to know Your answer. Hear me, O God. Hear my plea. Hear my prayer for help. Put Your marvelous love on display for all to see. Liberator of those who long for shelter beside You, set them safely away from their enemies, ever welcomed by grace. Keep close watch over me as the apple of Your eye; shelter me in the shadow of Your wings.

The first Prophetic Nugget is called “Rich Soil of Intimacy.

Psalm 17:5 (VOICE) I will press on —moving steadfastly forward along Your path. I will not look back. I will not stumble. 

Beloved, be set in your purpose and be steadfast. Refuse to be blown about, or shaken by the winds and waves around you. Remain true to your heart – true to your purpose. Allow your dove eyes to lead you.

A dove’s eyes are gentle and singular in focus. So allow yours to remain fixed on Me, just as Mine stay fixed on you. For you are the object of My affection – My beloved, My precious one. Dwell in this place of intimacy with Me, and let us linger here that life may pour forth from its rich soil.

The second Prophetic Nugget is called “Keenly Attuned.”

Psalm 17:6 (VOICE) I am crying aloud to You, O True God, for I long to know Your answer. Hear me, O God. Hear my plea. Hear my prayer for help.

Beloved, I AM keenly attuned to your voice. I don’t miss one utterance that falls from your lips. I know you so well that I don’t miss even your unspoken heart cries. I hear them all. I AM always ready and I AM always listening.

In the same way a good parent would not sit back and watch as their child struggled and drowned, know that I too am keenly attentive to your every need, so you don’t have to beg for My help or My attention – I give it freely. I listen to each whisper, and anticipate every need. So trust that I AM with you and that I will never leave.

The third Prophetic Nugget is called “Fully Known and Fully Loved.”

Psalm 17:7 (VOICE) Put Your marvelous love on display for all to see. Liberator of those who long for shelter beside You, set them safely away from their enemies, ever welcomed by grace.

Beloved, be wrapped in My love and grace, for you are safely in my grip and held dear to My heart. Those who dwell in safety beside Me, have chosen to rest in My presence. All are welcome. My grace is sufficient and My love abounds. 

Draw near, beloved. There is none beside Me. My love for you far exceeds your grandest imaginations, so rest in Me. Be set free by the beauty of being fully known and fully loved.

The fourth Prophetic Nugget is called “The Apple of My Eye.”

Psalm 17:8 (VOICE) Keep close watch over me as the apple of Your eye; shelter me in the shadow of Your wings.

Beloved, just as you are pained if someone injures the pupil of your eye, so do I feel every hurt and wound you experience. For you are the apple of My eye – My beloved one, My focus, and I care for you more than you could begin to comprehend.

Though trials will surely come – for they always do – know that the shelter of My wings is always there for you to turn to. I AM steadfast and I AM faithful, and My love continues from generation to generation without end. So rest, knowing I AM watching over you and I AM with you, for you are Mine.

A Meditation of the Word called “Worth the Price” from Elisa Eaton of Waiting in the Wings is connected to this.

Isaiah 53:5 (VOICE) But he was hurt because of us; he suffered so. Our wrongdoing wounded and crushed him. He endured the breaking that made us whole. The injuries he suffered became our healing.

By design, I operate in the gift of mercy. However, I admit that the person I find it hardest to have mercy on is myself. Other than God, I alone know the depth of my sin. I know my record. I cringe when I see that the thoughts of my heart do not align with the heart of God. Unfortunately, harboring unforgiveness and contempt towards myself is a practiced behavior.

And yet, to be an intercessor, I know all too well about the power of Christ’s atonement. I know that the blood of Christ covers every sin, and it covers them completely. Therefore, my transgressions before God are erased because love keeps no record of wrongs. The battle against sin has been won. My true struggle is making a conscious choice to see myself the way that God now sees me; I am in the image of Christ, a perfect, blameless, and beautiful creation of the Eternal One.

One day, as I found myself struggling with self-condemnation, I asked the Father why I was always find it so hard to receive His grace and forgiveness for what I view to be my shortcomings. I also recognized that I was prone to making a mountain out of the molehill of my wrongs.

“You have a fear that My grace is going to run out,” the Father said.

I frowned. With my head, I knew that Scripture states that God’s grace is sufficient for us. Christ’s sacrifice will always be enough. We will never run out of grace. And yet my heart struggled to accept this truth. But the Father was right—I walked around with an unconscious fear that I would one day reach the end of His grace. Somehow, I felt like my past sins left me little room for error in the present.

“I guess every time I see where I’m falling short, I also see that there’s a cost,” I said. I found it hard to be patient with myself when my inability to conform to Christ’s image required constant atonement. It seemed like the cross was that much nearer, and I felt like I was constantly adding another stripe upon my Savior’s back.

“Yes, it does cost something,” the Father said, agreeing with me. But then, in the Spirit, I could feel His love wrap around me, almost like He was picking me up and gathering me into His arms. “But just think about it—when you really love someone, do you ever think about what it costs to love them? Are you keeping a tally, afraid you will run out of love to give them?”

I smiled, reflecting on how easy it is to love someone in their brokenness when I am operating in mercy. No, I never think about the cost. When you love someone, they are worth the price. All I can think about is how much I love that person. And in that moment, I could understand that God felt the same way about me. I could understand why He is so patient and long-suffering in the face of my brokenness.

Yes, there is a cost for our past and present sin. A price was also paid to heal us of soul wounds that others may have inflicted upon us. New mindsets and healing don’t come overnight, no matter how much we wish they did. But God’s grace is enough for us. In fact, in light of the Cross, His love is extravagant. Through the atoning transaction at Calvary, Christ demonstrated with His death that our redemption was worth the price.

1 Corinthians 13:5-7 (TPT) Love does not traffic in shame and disrespect, nor selfishly seek its own honor. Love is not easily irritated or quick to take offense. Love joyfully celebrates honesty and finds no delight in what is wrong. Love is a safe place of shelter, for it never stops believing the best for others. Love never takes failure as defeat, for it never gives up.

2 Corinthians 12:9 (VOICE) and finally He said to me, “My grace is enough to cover and sustain you. My power is made perfect in weakness.” So ask me about my thorn, inquire about my weaknesses, and I will gladly go on and on—I would rather stake my claim in these and have the power of the Anointed One at home within me.

A Prophetic Nugget from “Daily Downloads from Heaven” by Meghan Williams is connected to this. It’s called “Rest in the Knowledge You are Mine.

Isaiah 43:1 (TLB) But now the Lord who created you, O Israel, says: Don’t be afraid, for I have ransomed you; I have called you by name; you are mine.

Beloved, can you hear Me calling you? Your name on My lips – sweet as honey and precious to Me. You are Mine. I have called you My own. I have ransomed you. The price has already been paid. Let your heart rejoice in the grace extended to you. Revel in it, beloved, for My mercy is a gift – an extension of My great love for you.

My perfect love leaves no room for fear. When you truly know Me, you know I fiercely love My children and jealously guard them. I stay close in times of trouble, and comfort in times of mourning. I will never leave you. I created you for My pleasure, beloved, and you do please Me. Rest in the knowledge you are Mine.

Another Prophetic Nugget from “Daily Downloads from Heaven” by Meghan Williams is connected to this. It’s called “Never Forget Who You Are. 

1 Peter 2:9 (TPT) But you are God’s chosen treasure —priests who are kings, a spiritual “nation” set apart as God’s devoted ones. He called you out of darkness to experience his marvelous light, and now he claims you as his very own.

Beloved, never forget who you are and who you’re called to be. You are Mine. Called to be in My presence, to boldly approach My throne of grace. Called to minister at My feet, to pour out your life as a sweet offering to Me.

I receive you. You are acceptable in My sight. Lovely and beautiful, radiant for Me. I see you. You shine so brightly, beloved. Your face reflects My glory as you stay close to Me. Dwell in this place.

1 Peter 2:9-10 (TPT) But you are God’s chosen treasure —priests who are kings, a spiritual “nation” set apart as God’s devoted ones. He called you out of darkness to experience his marvelous light, and now he claims you as his very own. He did this so that you would broadcast his glorious wonders throughout the world. For at one time you were not God’s people, but now you are. At one time you knew nothing of God’s mercy, because you hadn’t received it yet, but now you are drenched with it!

There is often a disparity between how God sees us and how we see ourselves. He wants to close that gap. From His perspective, He sees a parallel between your actions and His. This mercy He exudes is a part of His character you mirror beautifully and in doing so glorify Him. Extend the same mercy unto yourself that you do for others. See yourself through the same love and generosity that your heart naturally gives. Continue to mirror His actions and His heart reflecting His love to a lost and dying world… a world that includes you.

Another Prophetic Nugget from “Daily Downloads from Heaven” by Meghan Williams is connected to this. It’s called “Bathe Luxuriously in My Word.

Psalm 119:130 (VOICE) When Your words are unveiled, light shines forth; they bring understanding to the simple.

Beloved, I bring wisdom through the revelation of My word. My word is a conduit for truth and understanding. As you wash yourself in it (taking the time to luxuriously bathe), I impart to you via divine revelation truths you have not yet known.

Seek Me, beloved. My word is My heart laid bare, know Me. Hear My heart cry and feel the depth of My longing for the hearts of My people. For the more of Me that is hidden in their hearts, the more radiant they become, and that glow draws others home to Me. A beautiful gift from My beloved to Me.

A Meditation of the Word called “Mercy is His Name” from Elisa Eaton of Waiting in the Wings is connected to this.

Mercy is a central part of God’s nature—in fact, His name is mercy. In Exodus 34, God responded to Moses’ desire to see His glory. And as He passed before Moses, verse 5 says that He “proclaimed the name of the LORD.” And the proclamation that rolled forth was: “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation.”

I don’t know about anyone else, but many times when I would read this Scripture, I would find myself quite focused on the latter half of the verse! I trembled at the God who punished the guilty and allowed iniquity to be a generational inheritance! Due to my own woundings in life, I found it hard to see the other side of God’s character—His overwhelming heart of mercy. And I think my struggles with perceiving (and receiving) mercy have been due, in part, to how I learned to interpret much of Scripture.

There are many ways to view the story that is told from Genesis to Revelation, from the creation account until the return of our Conquering King. We can choose to focus on the sin of Adam and Eve in the Garden, or we can rejoice over the prophesied redemption that God promised would come through one of their offspring. We can obsess over the moral failings of the forefathers of the faith and the children of Israel, or we can marvel at those who walked with God and how He walked with them.

In the Word of God, humanity’s cycle with sin, repentance, and redemption are on display for us. And if we look in this mirror closely, we can most definitely see ourselves. However, how do we view the story that is there? While we certainly don’t want to minimize to cost of sin, I would argue that it would also be unproductive for us to navel-gaze at our individual and corporate failings. Do we choose to obsess over our fallen nature? Or can we look at our rather challenging corporate journey with God through His eyes of mercy?

The more we allow the Holy One to shape our character to look like His, the more that we will be able to see the beauty in our human experience. This story isn’t about what we have done, it is about what the Creator is doing and who we are becoming through Christ. For there is a crimson road that is woven throughout Scripture, throughout human existence, and throughout our individual lives. In the face of all of our failings, we can rejoice that God has paved a way back into His Presence through His great mercy.

Exodus 34:6 (VOICE) Then the Eternal One passed before him. Eternal One: The Eternal God, full of compassion and mercy, slow to anger, and abundant in loyal love and truth….

A series of three Prophetic Nuggets from “Daily Downloads from Heaven” by Meghan Williams are connected to this. They’re based on Song of Songs 8:6-7 (TPT). 

Fasten me upon your heart as a seal of fire forevermore. This living, consuming flame will seal you as my prisoner of love. My passion is stronger than the chains of death and the grave, all consuming as the very flashes of fire from the burning heart of God. Place this fierce, unrelenting fire over your entire being. Rivers of pain and persecution will never extinguish this flame. Endless floods will be unable to quench this raging fire that burns within you. Everything will be consumed. It will stop at nothing as you yield everything to this furious fire until it won’t even seem to you like a sacrifice anymore.

The first Prophetic Nugget is called “Let My Love Show on Your Face.”

Song of Songs 8:6 (TPT) Fasten me upon your heart as a seal of fire forevermore. This living, consuming flame will seal you as my prisoner of love…

Beloved, if you have chosen Me as I have chosen you, know that I will not let you go. My passion for you exceeds your imagination – you cannot fathom the lengths I would go to for you because of the depth of affection I feel for you.

You need not fear My love – though it may seem overwhelming. Embrace the passion that burns holy between us, and allow yourself to truly be transformed by it. For just as the face will glow of one who is newly in love with their earthly beloved, so will you radiate as your countenance reveals your love for Me. Let My love show on your face, embrace it in your heart, and be forever changed.

The second Prophetic Nugget is called “Embrace the Holy Fire of My Life-Changing Love.

Song of Songs 8:6 (TPT) …My passion is stronger than the chains of death and the grave, all consuming as the very flashes of fire from the burning heart of God…

Beloved, there is nothing that can dissuade Me from loving you. No sin too great, no shame too deep – refuse to confuse disappointment with rejection. I will never reject you, for you are deeply beloved by Me. Yes, there are decisions you may make (or have made) that grieve My heart, but you must know that much of that grief is because I know how it will effect you.

It hurts Me to see you in pain, trapped in shame, and caught in fruitless cycles that keep you from My best for you. These things do not cause Me to turn My back on you, but rather they cause My heart to weep for you. I have given you My Word that you might choose well, not so that I can take joy in seeing where you err and fall short. 

You are My beloved, and, as you embrace that identity, you will be set free from the sins that so easily beset you. For My love strengthens and purifies you. So embrace the holy fire of My life-changing love and be transformed.

The third Prophetic Nugget is called “Trials Fade in Light of Knowing Me.

Song of Songs 8:7 (TPT) …Endless floods will be unable to quench this raging fire that burns within you. Everything will be consumed. It will stop at nothing as you yield everything to this furious fire until it won’t even seem to you like a sacrifice anymore.

Beloved, the beauty of My Kingdom is that even loss is gain. From sacrifice, blessing emerges, and from trials come forth strength. So even as you yield to Me and the refining from My holy fire burns hot, soon the beauty of the flame and the glory it brings forth far outweigh the sacrifice.

In choosing Me, you are declaring I AM worthy. So you have offered yourself as a living sacrifice – a sweet aroma before Me. I have received you, and accepted you as My very own. And just as the pain of childbirth dims as the beauty of motherhood comes forth, so the pain and the trials fade in light of knowing and loving Me.

A post by Meghan Williams from MeghanW.com is connected to this. It’s called “Good Pain (Hosea 6:1).”

Recently, God has been talking to a couple of us on the Dyed4you Team about His mercy. And as He did, He began talking about His refining fire. Initially I was confused because I would not have thought of trials and refining as being connected to the mercy of God. But as Papa began to give the revelation, He brought to mind Misty Edwards’ song “Servant of All.” In the song, she makes reference to the fact that the Kingdom of God is an “upside down kingdom,” where we die to live and lose to gain. This seemed to parallel what we found with trials and the mercy of God. If we can embrace this upside-down nature, we can truly begin to flourish.

We realized that in the same way that it is kind to remove a splinter or to reset a broken bone – that even though it hurts, it is still an act of mercy because ultimately it allows healing. In the same way, it’s God’s mercy that He refines us and burns away that which hinders or derails us. He loves us too much to leave us in brokenness. If we’re steeped in shame, He loves us too much to leave us there. This brings to mind a verse in Hosea.

Hosea 6:1 (ESV) “Come, let us return to the LORD; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up.

So in true upside-down fashion, I think of this as “good pain.” In God’s mercy, He takes us through “good pain” to bring us to a better place. And the beautiful thing is that as we learn to trust Him, we are truly able to embrace the “good pain” because we know His character and know He wouldn’t take us through it unless the fruit it will bear is good. This is what James is referring to.

James 1:2 (NIV) Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,

So in the end, we truly can “consider it pure joy” because we trust God’s motivations for walking us through these trials. We know His character. We know with full certainty He is El Malei Rachamim – God Full of Mercy, and He wouldn’t take us through anything unless there were good in it. And because we know Him, we love and trust Him for who He is.

A final Prophetic Nugget from “Daily Downloads from Heaven” by Meghan Williams is connected to this. It’s called “Face the Flames.”

Hosea 6:1 (VOICE) Come on, let’s renew our loyalty to the Eternal One! He tore us like a lion, but He’ll heal us; He wounded us, but He’ll bandage us.

Beloved, My love for you never changes – no matter what you do or say. And I AM never cruel or unfeeling towards you. I will, however, allow hardships into your life to shape and mold you, and to build your character. 

I do not do this to be unkind, though in the moment it may feel that way. The contrast of “bad” gives “good” a greater fullness. Just as the contrast of sorrow brings joy more depth. If a child is given everything they want and they experience no hardship, they will be spoiled and self-focused. I will not do that to My children, for My love for them is too great. 

Therefore, I allow hardships and trials, but I walk through them with you. I AM present – ready to give support and strength as you reach for Me. Then as you come out the other side, I bring healing and restoration. And just as a scar strengthens the area where there has been a wound, I will strengthen you in the areas you’ve been tried. 

So face the flames of testing unafraid, knowing I AM with you and will walk you through, knowing you will be stronger for doing so, and knowing challenges are simply part of life. And, beloved, life is worth embracing in all its fullness. 

The name of the silk hidden in this image is Heart of Compassion. The colors in it are seafoam green representing mercy, kelly green representing healing tears of intercession, turquoise representing rivers of life, amethyst representing the joyful message of the Kingdom, and plum representing authority.

Father, thank You for Your tender eyes of mercy. We know how much we desperately need it. May we accurately reflect your heart to others and in doing so be reminded of the cost of extending mercy thereby never losing sight of your grace and love toward us. Be glorified in our thoughts, words, and actions, Lord. We love you!

   

 

Note: this word was expanded in May 2020