Merciful

Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.  Luke 6:36

Oh how I hate when I am done wrongly. I try so very much to be a person that treats others right and is concerned about them.  Why is it that they would in turn treat me in such a manner?  Have you ever had these thoughts?  I am sure you have; we all have had those thoughts at one point or another.

Can you imagine how God must feel?  After all, He gave His only begotten son to die for our sins.  He called us to a relationship with Him and somehow we still sin against Him.  His response—MERCY!

We serve a God who is merciful and reveals this mercy for our benefit.  As a man you should also be a person of mercy. Mercy is never condoning a wrong but rather it is withholding judgment of that wrong because you understand.  God is merciful to us and we ought to be merciful to others.

In Luke 6:35-36 Christ is teaching new principles for living. He reveals to us how are to deal with those who do us wrongly.  He sums this portion up by saying be merciful because the Father is merciful. However do you wonder how you can be merciful?  I think the answer is seen in verse 35. (Got to read that one) We are to love. We are to do good, to lend (give) expecting nothing in return, and we are to be kind.  Mercy will be demanded of you when you love and are not loved back.  When you do rightly and receive bad in return, or when you give and it is not repaid.

Why mercy?  Because mercy saves rather than destroys.  Mercy reveals a different spirit.  Mercy invites into a deeper relationship in which Christ will be seen and glorified.

Your application for the day is to be filled with mercy.