Blessed are the merciful . . .

 

God delights in mercy and gives me the privilege of showing mercy to others. In the physical realm I can give money to the poor, food to the hungry, or a bed to the homeless:

If among you, one of your brothers should become poor, in any of your towns within your land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother, but you shall open your hand to him and lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be. (Deuteronomy 15:7–8)

But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? (1 John 3:17)

If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. (James 2:15–17)

From these three passages, mercy is an act of obedience, a demonstration of God’s love, and visible proof that I trust God and am willing to give whatever I can because He will take care of my needs.

The Bible tells other ways to show mercy. One of them is by forgiveness. “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you” (Matthew 6:14). Too often our forgiveness is conditional. That is, ‘I will forgive her when she says she is sorry’ as if lack of forgiveness will punish the offender. This doesn’t hurt others as much as it hurts me . . .

For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:3–7)

When someone sins against me and I get riled up, God reminds me that I’m just as guilty or more; I have no reason or right to put others down. He uses Gospel truth to put lack of forgiveness in perspective. I cannot claim that I am forgiven because of my goodness — salvation is by grace and mercy so who am I to withhold forgiveness from others!

We have a great high priest . . . Jesus, the Son of God . . . . For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:14–16)

My only claim to the blessings of God is in what Christ has done. The above passage reminds me of that, but also that He sympathizes with my weaknesses because He knows what it is like to be tempted. I need to remember that truth when others fall into sin. Instead of condemning them, I know what it is like to be in their shoes. They need mercy, just as I need mercy. Because of God’s grace to me, I can show grace and mercy to others, no matter what they have done or are doing.

For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it. For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. (James 2:10–13)

We tend to categorize sin in a rating system, but God does not do that. Mercy realizes that my ‘little’ sins make me just as guilty of sin as the ‘big’ sins of someone else. Mercy thinks, ‘We are in this battle together’ not that I am better because my sins seem less serious to me.

Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (1 Peter 2:10)

Jesus, your mercy put me into God’s kingdom. Otherwise, I’d not be here nor have any mercy for others. Mercy is not pity but a compassion that wants people to be God’s people. Enable me to see the needs and human hearts the way You see them, and to be merciful to them.

MORE: List the ways God has shown mercy to me. Think of others who are in those situations and how I can show His mercy to them.

 

 

We have what we need to survive . . .

 

2 Kings 22; Psalms 140–141; Joel 1; Hebrews 4

Will history repeat itself? The people of God in the Old Testament had gone so far from what God intended them to be and do that their young king Josiah was overcome by shock and grief when the “book of the Law” was discovered in the run-down temple. He knew the mess their lives were in. He hurried to begin reforms — but it was too late. God would judge them, but He told this king that his eyes would not see the disaster that was coming because  his “heart was penitent” and he humbled himself before the Lord

The devotional comment for this chapter ended with, “The church is never more than a generation or two from apostasy and oblivion . . . .” which is theoretically true except that Jesus said, “I will build my church and the gates of hell (hades or the grave) shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18)

My cousin died a few years ago. He had three children. Two of them follow Jesus as do their spouses and children. One of these has decided to train for the mission field. He is twenty years old. A young woman loves Jesus. She is in school in northern Thailand and hopes to serve needy people. She is twelve years old. Around the world, children receive Christmas boxes that contain the Gospel message. That kindness and that message is turning hearts to Jesus by the thousands. There are more stories, but the failure of OT saints to stick to their mandate does not mean that the church will fail too. Christ continues to build.

Yet from my angle, the church does not look good — at least if I pay attention to secular media. The power of God and the righteousness of his people rarely make the news. However, Christian media tells of church growth in the most severely persecuted countries and the power of God in many unlikely places. Along with the psalmist David, I can hear many of God’s people pray . . .

Guard me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from violent men, who have planned to trip up my feet . . . . I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted and will execute justice for the needy. Surely the righteous shall give thanks to your name; the upright shall dwell in your presence . . . . But my eyes are toward you, O God, my Lord; in you I seek refuge; leave me not defenseless! Keep me from the trap that they have laid for me and from the snares of evildoers! Let the wicked fall into their own nets, while I pass by safely. (Psalm 141:4; 12-13; 8–10)

Our history is like OT history in that we also struggle against sin and against those who mock our faith, but the difference is the ancients looked forward in hope to a promised Redeemer while for us that Redeemer is part of our history, One to whom we can read about and know personally. He is the fulfilment of God’s promises, the high priest that changes everything and enables His people to press on . . .

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:14–16)

The life and power of Jesus Christ has become the life and power of His people. He conquered sin and death, defeated evil and because of His mercy and grace, His people have all we need to stand firm in our faith and rise victorious to live with Him in our dying.

APPLY: I can rest in the wonder of God’s saving grace and His promises. The world throws a lot of disbelief and mocking muck at the people of God. Lord, grant me the grace to live like Jesus no matter what struggles I might face and no matter how my own selfishness resists You, my glorious Redeemer.