Blessed Are The Merciful, For They Will Receive Mercy

 

 

Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. What is this mercy? It is critical for us to know what it is since Jesus desires us to have mercy (Matthew 9:13 (Jesus was quoting from Hosea 6:6)). It is forgiving one another (and yourself), i.e., not seeking retaliation for the harm done to you by another. It also refers to compassion we feel for others who are weak, poor, ill, anxious, and in other ways disadvantaged. Also would include the “outcasts” of society who, either through fault or no fault of their own are “disconnected” to the greater community. In some versions of the Bible, mercy is also translated as lovingkindness, an apt description. While the Bible is replete with examples of God’s mercy to the nation of Israel and surrounding nations, among others, our greatest example of mercy extended to others is that of God’s mercy in Christ, even though we cannot fully comprehend this mercy of God. The reason is because we cannot comprehend how God views sin: to Him, sin is abominable, He hates sin because of what it does to those He created in His image; He knows that in addition to separating us from Him, sin has the effects of destroying our bodies with each succeeding generation, making us weak and helpless against its ravages; He knows that sin always results in death. We are born with death already in us because of sin. We are sinners – no matter how “nice” we may seem. Even in the face of such inborn rejection, even though we are sinners, God still loves us so much as to send His own Son to live as a human and to become the only option for removing the penalty of sin. Jesus’ single sacrifice for all sin, the basis for restoration with God, is an undeserved mercy and forgiveness. God’s example lets us know that we, too, are responsible and accountable to God for the mercy we show or do not show to others. Do we forgive others who violate us or otherwise hurt us? Forgiveness is not easy, as our own inborn sin rebels against forgiving and forgiveness because we want to get even and make the offenders suffer. We sometimes even feel that foregiveness of one's sins against us leaves us damaged and scarred, vulnerable and humiliated. Actually, not forgiving does more harm to us; the bitterness against that person can produce murderous thoughts - ask me how I know - and can bring a stress that wears on your body and emotions. Our bitterness makes us vulnerable to more bitterness because we a duped into thinking that our bitterness is control over our circumstances. Bitterness exacerbates the wound inflicted upon us so that it scars us emotionally; the more we feed into it, the deeper and wider the scar becomes; the scar cannot heal over because the bitterness continues to ooze into it. We are duped to think that being a person who forgives is humiliating - that it weakens our stance before others. If and when we understand that forgiveness means to surrender our desire to get even and make payback happen, we begin to understand the power of God that enables us to forgive. That God will gladly make His Spirit abound in us so that we will have the forward-facing will and desire to forgive. Our forgiveness takes us out of bitterness' imprisonment, frees us to thrive knowing that our Heavenly Father will even more freely forgive us for our messing up. 

Mercy is a high bar; the opposite of mercy is unforgiveness and wrath. We cannot receive mercy if we choose not to forgive. Jesus actually commands us to be merciful as recorded in Luke 6:35-36, that we may look like children of our Heavenly Father. God is so willing to pour out mercies on us; in fact, His mercies to us are fresh each morning! (Lamentations 3:22-23) Because Jesus is Light, He tells us that we must be light also. We show this light when we are merciful to others. (John 8:12; Matthew 5:14; Ephesians 5:8

Explore

1.  Can you name a mercy that God has recently extended to you? How did it make you feel?

2.  Can you remember a time when it was very difficult to extend mercy to a particular person or persons? What made it difficult for you?

3.  Given all you have read about mercy and the One who extends it, what do you think it means to “walk in the light”?


Bonus: "Mercy" - Elevation Worship and Maverick City

To All the Saints - A Testimony on the Loss of a Loved One

 

In Facebook I follow the “Listeners of God’s Word” group. Granted, like any group of this 'genre', there is a range of beliefs and nonbeliefs. Although I had been following the group for a while, the crush of work and related activity kept me away from FB a lot so I only saw postings infrequently. This summer as work slowed, I ‘happened’ on a recurring post called “Hannah Grace’s Journey”.

While there are often requests for prayers on this FB group’s page, this story was different, not in its content, but more so in its intent. 

Hannah Grace was born prematurely with multiple issues requiring her to stay in NICU. Admittedly, some of the posts were hard to read, but I read anyway because of her parents’ desire to share this journey with other believers, to commune as it were in prayerful fellowship and share stories similar to hers. I was amazed at how the prayers from me flowed so freely for them, and then remembered that I have been praying similarly for 18 months or longer for another family who suffered loss. I was taken by how the Spirit led my words of encouragement. There were days where Hannah Grace was gaining weight, then others when the weight dropped. She was on the respiratory appliances that kept oxygen flowing; she would have fevers although it was difficult sometimes to actually zero-in on the causes. At least a couple of times she was treated for infections. Still, she was growing right before our eyes. Her parents were able to catch a smile once on camera. 

Bless her -- Hannah Grace was tethered in so many places. Yet, there was the blessing for her to experience the feeling of human closeness and of her Mom’s heartbeat when her parents were able to hold her after the doctors and NICU nurses ok’d it. That blessing went both ways. Her care team was right in there with Hannah Grace during her journey. It takes a special type of person to 'minister' in the capacity that NICU staff does. This team was no different. You could almost hear the cheers go up when Hannah Grace turned a corner and started consistently gaining a bit of weight and breathing well, when she went days without any fevers, and/or had a night of peaceful sleep. There were so many prayers and encouraging words being offered for the family to help them with this hour-by-hour journey in Hannah Grace’s life, and for God’s mercy and will for Hannah Grace. Her parents took many photos - the family also included two slightly older siblings. There were countless numbers of 'Facebook family members' for whom those pictures were most welcomed, touching our hearts, and which spiritually brought us into the same 'space' in which Mom and Dad moved to support, honor, pray, and exchange greetings and messages even though many of us lived hundreds of miles away. For me it was a most unique experience, and I tried hard every day to visit with everyone.

There was at least one doctor about whom the parents wrote (anonymously) who had told them that they should have let Hannah Grace die 'peacefully' after her birth. But it was Hannah Grace herself who 'booed' that suggestion - she was a little fighter. Her parents are strong believers in Christ who, through His merciful grace, learned a new level of love, a new level of trust and faith that they could not have learned otherwise (see Isaiah 45:3), and had the privilege of sharing with their 'extended family' that journey with her in such a loving, respectful, and generous way, even when their hearts were breaking. Sadly, the doctor and some others could not understand this level of love, not even some professing Christians can. But her Mom and Dad understood as they experienced the revelation contained in the Isaiah passage of treasures hidden – kept in a guarded, protected place -- for those who believe and trust God, Who lavished those treasures on them abundantly. What a most Divine and intimate gift from our Father of all mercies! (2 Corinthians 1:3)

Hannah Grace’s earthly journey lasted 100 days. One hundred amazing, unforgettable days. God carried her home to where there is no pain, no crying, no sadness, but only joy and the fullness of the expression of God’s Love. The grace for which she is named was so evident in this journey; it blessed those who were on the journey with her in ways we will always remember because her life and trials remind us that God is still Sovereign, that He is still in control, and that only He can deliver the reality of His words of promise at Romans 8:28. See the note below, written by Hannah Grace's parents below following her celebration of life.

     “…for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through Him who gives me strength. Yet, it was good of you to share in my troubles.” Philippians 4:11-14

‘God is still good! Things that go on in our lives do not change the character of God. He is still good. He is still faithful. He is still powerful. He is still able. God is also all knowing. Sometimes the things He allows in our lives do not seem like His kindness and mercy at the time, but we have to hold onto His unchanging character. He is kind. He is merciful. What He allows has a purpose – we may never know that purpose, but we do not have to know the reason as long as we know Him. God is not changed.

‘I have never longed for heaven as much as my heart yearns for it now. God has not finished his purpose for us yet since He has left us here on Earth. I choose to trust He is still writing this journey, and that His plans are both good and for my good.’

Amen.

p.s. the day before I read the news that Hannah Grace had gone to be with the Lord, I learned that a friend also had completed his earthly journey. God is collecting the saints!

 

 

"Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the Glory of God?"

Did you know that we have been given the opportunity to serve a God Who, because of His own Glory, was willing to rescue us from an eternal spiritual death by sending His own Son to die for us? (Psalm 79:9) 

John 11:1-45

When someone is spiritually dead, that means that even though they walk and talk and go about their business, they have no belief in God, do not recognize God, they cannot see His Glory through eyes of faith. The sin which controls them - their attitudes, their behavior, all that they are, makes them incapable of recognizing and submitting to God the Father and God the Son, and there is no relationship with God the Holy Spirit - the Giver of Life. (1 John 1:6)

Ezekiel 37 calls out those who have stopped believing in God - even those who were supposed to be God's people. They are dead spiritually - dead and dry. "They say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.’" But for His Glory, so that they will know that He is the LORD God who created them, He promises to restore them by giving them His Spirit to make them alive, so that they can worship Him and live fully.

Romans 8:5-9 echos a similar warning. "To set the mind on the flesh is death." [the flesh as described here refers to being cut off from God spiritually because of our sinful nature--the Adamic inheritance all humans have and which blocks us from seeing God's Glory because we cannot believe (Psalm 51:5)]. That is explained in the next sentence: "For this reason the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God's law-- indeed it cannot, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God." God tells us, warns in His words at Ephesians 2:1-3 about the nature of spiritual death and how it keeps us from God. But look at the promise echoed in the Romans 8 reading, as well as in verses 4-10 of Ephesians 2, and the harmony of these promises with the promise in Ezekiel 37. 

Because of His own Glory, God wants to bring His people to life - to put His life into us - so that we can see Him and believe. While we exist in our bodies today, God spiritually restores us to live His life through us. To see God is to see His Glory and reflect it so that we become light for others. To believe God is to glorify Him - as Jesus is saying in the subject line above, and in the Gospel reading in John 11 at the opening link. His resurrection of Lazarus gives us a glimpse into what He will do in our lives now by creating new life in us; He rescues us from death! A saving faith comes from hearing and acting on the words of Christ. He calls us to come out of our spiritual graves, and to remove the bindings of sin through our obedience to Him. Then He calls us to glorify God in our lives and in our bodies. I invite you to read the scriptures herein and seek to understand the message God is giving to us all. To hear in our own ears, and see in our own hearts of faith Jesus say to us those startling words, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the Glory of God? ...I Am the Resurrection and the Life. Those who believe in me, though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" Do you believe?  

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