Mercy: September 28, 2009

TODAYS WORD FOR MONDAY SEPTEMBER 28, 2009

MERCY

Defined by Webster:

Compassionate or kindly forbearance; shown toward an offender; the disposition of power to be compassionate.

GODS WORD

“It does not, therefore, depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.” Romans 9:16

“But God is so rich in mercy, and He loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, He gave us life when He raised Christ from the dead.” Ephesians 2:4

“For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations.” Psalm 100:5

“He saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy.” Titus 3:5

WORDS FROM KEN AND DOTTIE

Webster defines mercy as compassion shown toward an offender. We have all sinned against God so we are offenders and in need of God’s mercy. It is because of God’s mercy that we can know Jesus as our Savior. God is truly a God of mercy and of love and although we are undeserving He showed His mercy to us by sending His Son to this earth to save us from death. He sacrificed His only son to die on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins and then Jesus arose from the grave and soon went to Heaven to prepare for us a place to live for eternity. God then showed His mercy to us by sending His Holy Spirit to be with us and guide us each day we live on this earth.

We remember hearing a defense attorney in a recent high profile murder trial pleading to the jury for mercy for his client. He was asking the jury to free his client because he was innocent. The jury found the celebrity guilty and showed no mercy and by law the defendant had to pay the penalty. We are all sinners and would be judged guilty by any jury. Thanks to God’s mercy we do not have to face a jury to hear our penalty. God sent His only Son to pay our penalty for all of our sins.

Throughout the Bible we read about God showing mercy. In Genesis 18 we read of Sarah laughing at God’s promise, to give her a son in her old age, because she doubted God. God had mercy on her, in spite of her doubt, and gave her the promised son. Time after time the people of Israel turned away from God and sinned against Him, but God had mercy on them and continued to love them and bless them. This was the standard of mercy that God gave to all the generations that followed. In Psalm 18:21 it reads that God gives mercy to the merciful. God wants us to be merciful to those our lives touch each day. Then He promises to be merciful to us. We as Christians serve an awesome God who shows mercy to us each and every day.

We all know the famous passage found in Psalm 23. In verse 6 it reads: “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.” All those who love the Lord can be assured of God’s unfailing love and goodness and mercy, just as David was. We fail but God’s mercy does not. God’s mercy is everlasting.

TODAYS FAMILY PRAYER

Thank You Lord for the mercy You have shown to me by dying on the cross to save me from my sins so that I do not have to pay the penalty that I rightly deserve. Thank You for the assurance I have that Your mercy is everlasting and that Your love is unfailing. Help me to be merciful to others so that they may see Christ in me.