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Posts Tagged ‘mercy’

Eternal Words of Jesus

Posted in Time Up to Pentecost, tagged , , , , , , , , , on April 29, 2009| Leave a Comment »

Luke 21:33
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

Jesus’ words are eternal. Jesus’ message, then, is also eternal. No matter how one might interpret the passages in this chapter of Luke about the end times and whether or not the signs have already happened or will still happen… well, that’s not my point today. No, I just want to highlight the other aspect of this passage which is even more important: Jesus’ eternal words, in the face of the passing away of both heaven and earth, two distinct dimensions of life, will remain. Pure truth will survive. Love will stand. Mercy will triumph over justice. Light will shine brighter than any darkness. Hope and faith will remain.

It is indeed the new heaven and the new earth and that idea is beyond anything we can fathom.

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Judgment Without Mercy

Posted in Lent, tagged , , on April 2, 2009| Leave a Comment »

Luke 6:37
Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

I have to thank my new friend, Liz B, for this phrase, “judgment without mercy.” It captures the essence of what it means to “judge not.” There is such a difference between judging and discernment, but so often we fall into the judging mode. I know I do. Some would say, “but there is right and wrong and it’s appropriate to “judge” between them.” And I would ask you to keep in mind the mercy.

It is the quality of mercy that tempers the mind. It is the heart that that softens the mind. It is mercy that is the foundation for forgiveness. It is the spirit who reminds us of our sins. Oh yes, we all make mistakes and when we do, we are often deserving of the consequences (sometimes dire) … but isn’t it mercy that we count on? And aren’t we fortunate to love a merciful God? In James 2:13b, he says, “…mercy triumphs over judgment.” Thanks be to God.

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Persistance Without Offense

Posted in Lent, tagged , , on March 17, 2009| Leave a Comment »

Mark 7:28
“Yes, Lord,” she replied, “but even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”

I think it’s amazing that despite the fact that Jesus has basically called this woman a dog (quite the put-down) when she, a gentile, begged Jesus to heal her daughter. And yet, instead of taking offense, she merely persists, calling not on His justice, but His mercy. Her love for her daughter kept her focused on the need. Her heart was pure of motive. She believed in His goodness and His ability to “break” the law. He was ultimately setting the stage for the rest of us to come into the Kingdom. She modeled persistence and He modeled grace.

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Justice, Mercy & Faithfulness

Posted in Lent, tagged , , , , , , on March 10, 2009| Leave a Comment »

Matthew 23:23b
…But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness….

What an interesting combination of words. Here is justice, which has many definitions, but most frequently, I believe we think of it as “the administration of deserved punishment” or “rightfulness and fairness.” However, the power of mercy is to do the opposite, to forgive the deserved punishment with tolerance and compassion. And lastly, faithfulness (or adherence to truth, steadiness, and a standard) is like an umbrella over them both.

There are many paradoxes in the Bible and it is only with a wide-open mind and heart can be incorporate them into our walk. It is because there is justice that there can be mercy. And praise be to God, He is faithful in extending both.

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