Mercies and Misses

“If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself: but if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it” (Proverbs 9:12).  “Jesus… said unto him, Zaccheus, make haste, and come down; for today I must abide at thy house.  And he made haste, and came down, and received Him joyfully… And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house… For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost... And when He was come near, He beheld the city, and wept over it, saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace!  But now they are hid from thine eyes… because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation” (Luke 19:5-44).   

The mercies of God will abound to the wise,

But blessings are missed by the souls who are scorning.

The way of God’s peace shall be hid from the eyes

Of those who resist Him, rejecting His warning.

The blessings of God were made known to Zaccheus

As Jesus was passing through Jericho’s town.

He climbed in a tree to behold the Lord Jesus;

The Lord saw Zaccheus and said to come down. 

Zaccheus then joyfully came down with haste,

For Christ would abide at his house on that day.

Imagine the blessings that so many waste

By letting salvation just pass by their way!

Our Lord Jesus wept as He looked on the city

Where He had ascended to die for salvation.

Jerusalem missed both her peace and the pity

That God was extending by His visitation.

O Lord, we give thanks that You came from above

To seek and to save us, so hopelessly lost,

By laying Your life down to offer in love

Your mercies at such an unspeakable cost!