Mercy

As we begin our celebration of Holy Week, today I studied what the Book of Mormon teaches about mercy. Here’s what I found:

1. Mercy often appears in a list of attributes of God, combined with attributes such as justice, equity, wisdom, grace, power, goodness, holiness, patience, and long-suffering. (See 1 Nephi 1:14, 2 Nephi 2:12, 2 Nephi 9:8, 2 Nephi 11:5, Jacob 4:10, Mosiah 5:15, Alma 5:48, Alma 9:11, 26, Alma 26:16, Alma 42:30, 3 Nephi 26:5, Moroni 9:25.)
2. God’s mercy is infinite (Mosiah 28:4), abundant (Alma 18:41), pure (Moroni 8:19), and great (Jacob 4:10, Alma 26:20, Alma 38:7).
3. His “arms of mercy” are extended toward us. (See Jacob 6:5, Mosiah 16:12, Mosiah 29:20, Alma 5:33, 3 Nephi 9:14.)
4. The Savior’s bowels are filled with mercy because of what He has suffered on our behalf. (See Alma 7:12, Mosiah 15:9, Alma 26:37, Alma 34:15, 3 Nephi 17:6-7.)
5. Jesus earned the right to offer us mercy. We claim that mercy (and that mercy claims us) when we repent. (See Moroni 7:27, Alma 12:34, Alma 42:21-24, 31.)
6. The plan of salvation is also called the plan of mercy. God always intended to give us mercy. In this plan, mercy doesn’t “rob,” or invalidate, justice, but it does “appease the demands of justice” (Alma 42:15, 31). God will make everything right for those who trust in Him!

Today, I will be grateful for God’s infinite and abundant mercy. I will remember He offers mercy to me, and that mercy was always part of His plan for the salvation and happiness of His children.