Matthew 5:7 Blessed are the merciful,
for they shall obtain mercy.
God certainly knows what we need. When I taught a study on fear many years ago, I discovered that God has provided enough verses on fear, that if we read one a day, it would take a whole year to read them all. Recently, I discovered that the same is true about mercy.
Now, what is mercy? Awhile back, I heard someone jokingly say about ladies of the Southern states, it doesn’t matter what you say to a person as long as you end with saying something like “Well, bless your heart”. Sometimes, we view that statement as an expression of one who has mercy – someone who sort of feels our pain. Just as God does not express mercy that way, He expects something different from us.
Biblical mercy is different from secular mercy in at least three ways.
1. It is primarily a compassion or a pity towards someone who is suffering as a consequence of sin. But, I’ve got to add here – isn’t that what all suffering is about? It’s the result of either our sin or someone else’s sin at some time, even if we go all the way back to Adam and Eve.
2. Secondly, Biblical mercy does not just feel compassion or pity; Biblical mercy involves both thought and action. It is a seeking to, in some way, relieve a person of their pain.
Psalm 37:21 … the righteous shows mercy and gives.
3. Thirdly, Biblical mercy is not the expression of acts of mercifulness, but it is having this attribute as a result of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. In other words, Biblical mercy is not a compassion or pity motivated by the flesh, but by the Spirit and is a response to His prompting. Psalm 62:12 …to You, O Lord, belongs mercy;…
So, again, we can’t conjure up this mercy – it’s got to be a response to the Holy Spirit’s prompting and only kingdom livers get that. Let me pause here to remind you of this side effect of this Sermon – the assurance it gives us if we are believers – when we see these things evident in our lives, it’s assurance that we belong to God’s kingdom.
It’s not that these beatitudes are foreign or unfamiliar to us, if we are believers, we have experienced all of them, and thus, we have blessed experiences – Jesus is calling us to blessed lives.
What changes occurred in your life that brought you to hunger and thirst after a blessed life rather than settling for blessed experiences?
The biggest change is that I am no longer acting out the part of a Christian. Doing those things that I think make me righteous before God. I now look up instead of looking around. When I looked around I was always trying to keep up with the “Jones”. This kingdom living is in direct conflict with the other kind of living and I have to hang real tight with the Lord moment, by moment. No conjuring anything up my self.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad that Cathy put at that “check” at the end; “when we see these things evident in our lives, it’s assurance that we belong to God’s kingdom.” That is a great comfort because I seek to abide with Him more than anything. I keep this verse close in a corner place in my heart. Heb. 13:5 For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” It brings me such comfort to know He is always with me.
love you all.... sharon
When I returned to the LORD eleven years ago and began to spend time with genuine kindom livers and heard solid teaching, the LORD showed me how little I knew of walking with Him- really having a relationship. I wanted it-really bad...I asked God how do I do this? Where do I begin? He answered with Psalm 25: 4,5,8-10 in essence, "be teachable" was the answer. I set out on a journey to understand the role of the Holy Spirit...prayed with ladies that understood effective prayer...purposed be in the Word. That was the catalyst for transformation to a blessed life for me.
ReplyDeleteAmy
I found that all my perceptions of mercy were merely man trying to earn grace. A woman of grace showed me what love in action looked like, and it always began with prayer. The contrast was startling, and convicting!
ReplyDeleteI don't want just an experience, for while they are lovely they don't last. I want something permanent: a walking in the Spirit on a continual basis that leads to a blessed life.
He has proven His unconditional Love time and time again - even though He didn't have to!. He is Truth and I can stand on His promises for kingdom living and not just rely on earning His love and mercy through 'good works'. I pray others can come to know and live in the same love and mercy He has poured into my life. Luke 7:47
ReplyDeleteI remember sitting at church, and hearing the message, like every other week... I had wanted more, to get it, to live it but just didn't seem to get past the Sunday "experience" and then it was back to the same old thing through out the week. I kept going and listening and I remember the day the Holy Spirit touched my heart and I got it, for the first time... at that moment I had a real hunger and thirst for MORE... That was the beginning of a real personal walk in Christ- even though I knew Him since I was a child. My prayer every day is that I would never feel like I am satisfied, that I have enough of my Jesus. My flesh wants a break from time to time, I so recognize that battle but it is my experience that life, circumstances, everything is better in Him... and it's been the times that I have trusted and allowed Him to have control of situations that has given me the ability to show mercy and compassion to those I would, in my flesh, never have been able. He won't ever give up on me :-) Lets not give up on one another.... that same work He is doing in me, He wants to do in every person and we are the ones He wants to use, but it takes the power of His Holy Spirit and our willingness to be used and to love others as He does. Only in Him will we be able.
ReplyDeleteSally
Love it, Sally!
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