Egypt to Canaan (Pt. 10): The Mercy of God
Since the beginning of this series, we have learned that the journey from Egypt to Canaan is symbolic of the believer’s walk with God — from salvation to destiny fulfillment. God leads each of us through seasons, wildernesses, and victories because He has a deliberate plan for our lives. Every page of that plan has already been written; our task is to walk in obedience until the end.
Life is not a random experience but a race. Paul declared, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race” (2 Timothy 4:7). This race is not against another person but against the divine blueprint God has given each of us. Hebrews 12:1 calls us to “lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and run with endurance the race set before us.” The Passion Translation describes it as a “marathon race” — one that requires passion, determination, and endurance because “the path has already been marked out for us.”
Like any race, life demands training, focus, and discipline. We cannot be distracted by what others are doing, nor can we afford to lose our urgency. The tragedy of the wilderness generation was not that their race ended, but that it ended before they finished. They died short of Canaan because of unbelief. We must run our own course, staying focused until we can say like Paul, “I have finished my race with joy” (Acts 20:24).
The Unseen Strength Behind Every Race
Romans 9:16 reveals a sobering truth: “It is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.” That means we can run fast, train hard, and stay determined, yet without mercy, we cannot finish the race. God’s mercy is the difference between striving and finishing.
In Exodus 16, Israel murmured against Moses and God because of hunger, yet the Lord still rained manna from heaven daily for forty years. Manna was not only sustenance — it was a sign of God’s daily, unfailing mercy. No matter how poorly they behaved, manna never ceased. It came every morning, new and fresh, just as Lamentations 3:22–23 declares: “Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.”
Mercy is God doing for us what we could never do for ourselves but desperately need. It is divine compassion in action — His sovereign help that accomplishes what human strength cannot. Without mercy, the intelligent will stumble, the skilled will falter, and the diligent will fail. Mercy carries us where effort cannot.
How to Walk in the Mercy of God
To continually live under the flow of divine mercy, Scripture outlines a few clear principles:
Confess and Forsake Sin — “He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy” (Proverbs 28:13). To confess sin without forsaking it is to abuse mercy. Many believers live in this cycle — repeatedly confessing without turning away. True repentance honors mercy and keeps it abundant in our lives.
Be Merciful to Others — “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy” (Matthew 5:7). Mercy operates on the law of sowing and reaping (Galatians 6:7). If we refuse to show mercy — if everyone who offends us must “hear from us” — then heaven withholds the same measure from us. Jesus illustrated this in Matthew 18 through the parable of the unforgiving servant: the one forgiven much refused to forgive little and was condemned by his own lack of mercy. When we extend mercy, we are depositing into our own spiritual account.
Acknowledge and Thank God for Mercy Received — Gratitude multiplies what we have. When Jesus thanked the Father for five loaves and two fish, the bread multiplied. Many complain about what is lacking instead of acknowledging the mercy already present. Every breath, every provision, every protection is a token of mercy. What we acknowledge with thanksgiving increases.
Ask God for Mercy — Mercy is available to those who ask. Blind Bartimaeus cried out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” and received his sight. When all preparation is done — when your résumé is ready, when your plans are perfect — still cry for mercy. The race is not to the swift; it is to the one God helps.
Living as recipients of Mercy
Mercy has many expressions — salvation, protection, provision, and help. It is mercy that keeps us from destruction, mercy that feeds us daily, and mercy that brings us to Canaan. Every day, like manna, there is a portion reserved for us.
Let us be those who tremble at mercy, who forgive quickly, and who thank God for every help we’ve received. For if we will ever need mercy again — and we surely will — we must live as givers and receivers of it. The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end. They are new every morning.