Am I Merciful?
Am I Merciful?
“Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.”
Matthew 5:7
All who call on Jesus obtain mercy for the debt of sin they owe. Praise God! But what about after we’ve obtained that mercy from God? God knows my heart, and showing mercy is a struggle for me. Instead, I lash out when someone tries to hurt me or has hurt me. Even those I claim to love.
While I have obtained God’s eternal mercy, why do I disregard His temporal mercy? I don’t think about being merciful because I don’t see my need for mercy. I am either too self-righteous to see that I’m still one who struggles with sin, or I’m too carnal and unwilling to give up the sin I’m enjoying in that season and have no desire for God’s mercy. On either account I’ve racked up some sowing. “Be not deceived, God is not mocked; whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” I hate it when the crop from that sowing comes in.
What I find wonderful about this verse is the promise of temporal mercy. If I just show mercy, I will get mercy. It’s simple, but I still want to explain. God is in control of what my sowing yields, not me. Principle #9 in RU was, “When we give into temptation, we lose our right to choose. The consequences of our sins are inevitable, incalculable, and up to God”. So, wouldn’t I be wise to beg for mercy? Well, I can beg till I’m blue in the face, and receive no mercy if I am not willing to show mercy. Thank God for his teaching me to be meek, and hunger after His righteousness, otherwise I might think I’m something special, and that I shouldn’t allow you to treat me any other way. Am I merciful? No, but God is, and He can show me how give mercy to others, as He has given me.
Pastor Larry Hof
Here is a song for today!
https://youtu.be/Fvww0_6GWYU
“Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.”
Matthew 5:7
All who call on Jesus obtain mercy for the debt of sin they owe. Praise God! But what about after we’ve obtained that mercy from God? God knows my heart, and showing mercy is a struggle for me. Instead, I lash out when someone tries to hurt me or has hurt me. Even those I claim to love.
While I have obtained God’s eternal mercy, why do I disregard His temporal mercy? I don’t think about being merciful because I don’t see my need for mercy. I am either too self-righteous to see that I’m still one who struggles with sin, or I’m too carnal and unwilling to give up the sin I’m enjoying in that season and have no desire for God’s mercy. On either account I’ve racked up some sowing. “Be not deceived, God is not mocked; whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” I hate it when the crop from that sowing comes in.
What I find wonderful about this verse is the promise of temporal mercy. If I just show mercy, I will get mercy. It’s simple, but I still want to explain. God is in control of what my sowing yields, not me. Principle #9 in RU was, “When we give into temptation, we lose our right to choose. The consequences of our sins are inevitable, incalculable, and up to God”. So, wouldn’t I be wise to beg for mercy? Well, I can beg till I’m blue in the face, and receive no mercy if I am not willing to show mercy. Thank God for his teaching me to be meek, and hunger after His righteousness, otherwise I might think I’m something special, and that I shouldn’t allow you to treat me any other way. Am I merciful? No, but God is, and He can show me how give mercy to others, as He has given me.
Pastor Larry Hof
Here is a song for today!
https://youtu.be/Fvww0_6GWYU
Posted in God is More, God of All Comfort, Scripture is Illuminating, Support Group
Posted in mercy, merciful, bitter, bitterness, unforgiveness, forgive, forget, move on
Posted in mercy, merciful, bitter, bitterness, unforgiveness, forgive, forget, move on
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