20 He took the Testimony and put it into the ark, inserted the poles through the rings of the ark, and put the mercy seat on top of the ark.

Exodus 40:20

When God asked the children of Israel to build him a tabernacle everything was done according to a specific pattern because everything had a specific meaning. Do you know why God said that the Mercy Seat be placed above the Ark? The Ark represented the Law and judgment, so by placing the Mercy Seat above the Ark, God was saying, “If I judge you on the basis of the Law, no one will qualify, but I look beyond the Law and I look at My mercy so that I can save you.”

We have been reading about the Canaanite woman (Matthew 15:22-25). She did not qualify for healing by the Law but she understood the mercy of God. The woman had a great understanding of mercy. When Jesus told her, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel,” the woman told Jesus, “Lord, help me!” In effect she was saying, “I don’t come based on the fact that I’m qualified; I come based on Your mercy. Didn’t You hear when I screamed, ‘Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David?’”

Although the woman did not qualify, she was not throwing shots in the dark. Neither was she fighting like one beating the air. She was not doing a “trial and error” exercise hoping that she would be helped. She had great faith and she was intent on laying hold on what she did not deserve. At no point whatsoever, did she give up. Faith is what lays hands on whatever you desire. One of the ways through which you gain access to your healing is by appealing in faith, to the mercy of God.

Confession:
Thank You Father for dealing with me on the basis of mercy and not on the basis of the Law. Your mercy gives me access to healing.