Tender Mercies

Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies. Colossians 3:12

This year we are reading through the Bible as a family. Since we are doing that all together, I decided that on my own I would really try to do more in-depth personal study. I am currently working on Colossians - reading it over and over and over. It amazes me how each day something new will pop out at me - there is so much for me to learn and apply! Currently, this is the phrase that I am looking at

... therefore...put on tender mercies...

As far as I can tell, the therefore refers back to vv. 1-4 (I am not allowing myself to use commentaries :) ) Why should I put on tender mercies? Because
1- I have been raised with Christ
2- I have died and my life is hid with Christ in God
3- someday, I will appear with Him in glory

therefore! My response (for one) is to put on tender mercies!

I would eventually like to look up the specific meaning of this, but for now, these verses of the example of Christ have really been impressed upon me...

First, in Luke 1, when Zecharias is prophesying about John the Baptist preparing the way of the Lord, when he says, "for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways, to give knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission of their sins, through the tender mercy of our God, with which the Dayspring from on High has visited us."

It is through our God's tender mercy that the Messiah came to forgive sins!!!

Second, Lamentations 3:22,23 "through the Lord's mercies, we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning."

It is the Lord's mercy that gives me each day! And His mercies are new to me each day! Oh, how I need that!

So, I am to imitate Christ and put on tender mercies. Not just be merciful - but do it in a gentle way like our Saviour is so gentle with us. That has been a huge task for me! I think the first thing the enemy attacks when my husband is on the road is me! He knows my patience wears thin - the kids test more when their daddy is gone - and I am not very good at being merciful. Oh, but when I do find it in myself to be merciful - it rarely ever comes with tenderness!

Maybe this is why my Father is giving me this verse to focus on. Maybe, just maybe He is wanting me to grow up in this area to become more like His Son!

there's a wideness in God's mercy

like the wideness of the sea

there's a kindness in His justice

which is more than liberty