Heavenly Father, Thank you for revealing to me that there are three primary ways you interact with human creatures. Justice is the way you connect with those who want to go it alone, thinking that they have a better way than yours. In your justice system, you give people freedom to make choices and then let them live with the consequences. Sometimes this can have a very negative effect on them as well as others. You frequently get the blame for their foolishness. Their attacks against you, when distorted in such a way as to make you look bad and them good, have a way of sounding very rational and logical. Sometimes they are so convincing that they are able to sway many of their friends and acquaintances to think poorly of you as well. In the end, your justice always allows them to reap what they sow and they end up getting what they deserve. Mercy, on the other hand, is your way of expressing forgiveness, benevolence and compassion on people who have taken responsibility for their actions. They acknowledge to you and others that they have been the cause of their poor behavior. Those who are merciful are, in turn, blessed with an abundance of your mercy. I know you expect me to demonstrate your mercy to everyone. So, your justice gives people what they deserve; your mercy does not give them what they deserve. I really like the third way you interact with us and for this I am most grateful. Through Jesus Christ you have blessed the world with your grace. That is, you bless us and give us the very best you have, even though we don’t deserve it. The wonderful thing about it is that you do it in a measure that goes way beyond anything that I can imagine. As much as possible, I pray that you will let me live in that third zone. Micah 6:8 “He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Galatians 6:7-8 “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature£ will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.” Matthew 5:7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” John 1:16 “From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another.”
Posted on: Tue, 08 Oct 2013 23:00:00 +0000
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