Mercy Rea Wilhite

Mercy Rea Wilhite

“Friend of Mercy”

Dispensing compassion upon observing a lowly physical state compels the compassion of God to be magnified. Mercy, in the simplistic and broadest meaning, is the bestowing of some form of compassion or kindness due to the physical condition of the party. The name “Mercy” serves an Ebenezer for a specific time in our relationship. How many of us can honestly peer into our past and point to specific moments and, with great confidence, say, “God was working there.” Predominantly found in the OT, memorial stones (i.e, an Ebenezer) were set up to remind the future generation of God’s deliverance, acts of providence, etc. They predominantly served as a teaching reminder to the people. “Mercy” is our Ebenezer.

When compared to other people, circumstances, and forms of suffering, individualized heartache can seem to be minimized. All accounts or experiences of trials are so packaged and uniquely given to His people, they seem to be sovereignly designed for the recipient and no one else. Though we have family, friends, and acquaintances undergoing far greater pain and incomparable circumstances, the Lord designed to bestow His mercy and faithfulness to us in a unique way.

There was a time, though not very far back, where the darkness of tribulations was unceasing. As the end of the month approached, I would incessantly look at the downcast and disheartened portrait of my wife. With overt joy and longings, my wife, with a healthy yearning, desired a child. Simultaneous to these monthly encounters, a steady barrage of irreconcilable events, comments, and relationships seemed to castigate my soul.

However, through these times, we had the unequivocal resolve to search and find joy in God. I was greatly reminded and sustained by two main passages during this period of our marriage. The first was the passage that was read at our wedding, Habakkuk 3.17–19. Near the end our engagement and throughout our marriage thus far, Allyson and I have sought to place the great depths of this passage before our gaze.

Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places.

Our joy consists of God and having God as our own and having YHWH serve as our redeemer, not our condition.

A second passage that brought sustenance during this stint was Jude 17–25. And in my humble opinion, this is one of the richest doxologies in the New Testament.

But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. They said to you, “in the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit. But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by flesh.

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

There are multiple calls to resolve, to building your faith, to abide in the love of God, to extend mercy to others, to await the return of our Lord, but it is all to Him who is able to assure steadfast footing, it is all to Him that reassures our blameless appearing before him, and all this is done for the display of His glory and will provide Him great joy.

The timing of our pregnancy was bar none, a providential event due to the external timing of other, unrelated, surrounding affairs. The temporary darkness was beginning to wane upon the horizon of forthcoming changes. But standing here now, as we peer into the rearview mirror of providential history, it is nothing more than timely.

When Allyson and I were sitting in the hospital room, awaiting an ultra-sound to find out the gender, we were thrilled, nervous, and scared. The moment the doctor told us we were having a girl, I had been muddling over Jude 17–25 in my mind and had decided to re-read this sustaining passage. My eyes hit “Mercy” in v.21 and they filled up with tears. That was it, I thought, “Mercy” is it. Not only are we still awaiting the return of God’s mercy (i.e., Christ’s return), but also in looking upon our heartache, he has finally acted in our favor and in our condition by providing Mercy to us.

Her middle name, Rea, is taken from the Hebrew phonetic spelling of “Friend.” And it is now like an old time friend, we have been reacquainted with the compassion and kindness of God. And therefore we have chosen to name our little girl, whether she is carried to full-term or not, Mercy Rea; for, she has been our memorial in our re-familiarity with Mercy.