'mercy' Tagged Posts
Daily Devotions
Psalm 145:1-8…“The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.” vs. 8 As we read through the Hebrew scriptures it is stunning to note how often the theme of God’s grace and mercy shows up. It seems that the psalmists and prophets never tired of reminding people that the Lord was slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. And from what we read about Jesus in the gospels it’s obvious that he had absorbed…
Daily Devotions
Matthew 18:28-35…“But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, ‘Pay what you owe.’” vs. 28 When we read this parable about forgiveness that Jesus told we can’t help but be appalled at the behavior of the slave who had been forgiven all of his debt. Evidently his heart had been completely untouched by this incredible act of mercy that…
Daily Devotions
Genesis 50:19-21..““Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today.” vs. 20 The whole cycle of the Hebrew ancestral stories comes to a warm and fuzzy end with Joseph’s words to his brothers. Not only does he offer them mercy and forgiveness, but he tells them that even the brokenness of their relationship has been used by God for good. Humans have long…
Daily Devotions
Genesis 50:15-18..“‘Say to Joseph: I beg you, forgive the crime of your brothers and the wrong they did in harming you.’ Now therefore please forgive the crime of the servants of the God of your father.” vs. 17 The brothers of Joseph were convinced that once their father died, they would lose their protection, so they made up a story about Jacob’s last wishes. They told Joseph that their father had begged him to forgive the crime of his brothers.…
Daily Devotions
Romans 12:14-21…“No, ‘if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” vss. 21-22 One of the ways in which countries can gain control of others is through a process that has been called “immiseration,” the act of gaining victory through impoverishing one’s opponents. This can be done in a variety…
Daily Devotions
Romans 11:30-32…“For God has imprisoned all in disobedience so that he may be merciful to all.” vs. 32 While Paul is to be cherished and admired for his remarkable apostolic ministry, we can’t help but wish that his writings were easier to understand. Sometimes we have particular difficulty as he explains his insights on God’s relationship to the Jews. He obviously cared deeply about his people, and wanted to clarify their place in salvation history. The problem is that the…
Daily Devotions
Matthew 14:13-14…“Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns.” vs. 13 When Jesus heard that John the Baptist had been killed, he withdrew to a deserted place where he could be alone. He needed time for reflection and prayer. But when the crowds had heard the news of John’s death, they wanted to be with Jesus,…
Daily Devotions
Isaiah 55:1-5…“Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you that have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.” vs. 1 It’s hard to believe but our scriptures consistently teach that all the best things about life in this world are available to us free of charge. Nowhere are we told that it is a good thing to store up riches for ourselves and build our retirement portfolios. As the…
Daily Devotions
Psalm 119:129-132…“The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple. With open mouth I pant, because I long for your commandments.” vss. 130-131 Psalm 119 is the longest of the psalms and is devoted to lifting up the law as God’s most loving gift to Israel. Today’s chosen verses call to mind an image of little birds opening up their mouths to receive food brought by a parent. They crowd the nest, their little beaks open…
Daily Devotions
Psalm 86:14-17…“But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.” vs.15 Sometimes it’s hard to know how we could get so messed up in the way we think about God. Admittedly there are some verses in our scriptures that can be misleading or easily misinterpreted, but for the most part the testimony of the prophets and of Jesus echoes the teaching of this anonymous psalmist. Troubled and paranoid as…
Daily Devotions
Matthew 10:42…“and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple—truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.” vs. 42 Often when we take Jesus’ call to reach out to the helpless and the harassed seriously by offering them shelter, clothing, water, or food, we discover that they want to help us too. They will offer hospitality in whatever way that they can, and they’ll do it…
Daily Devotions
Psalm 69:16-18…“Do not hide your face from your servant, for I am in distress—make haste to answer me.” vs. 17 This psalmist seems to have run out of patience with the Lord. His passion for the temple has gotten him a boatload of enemies, and they never tire of tormenting him. Through it all the psalmist has continued to trust in the Lord as a source of mercy and steadfast love! But at this moment he’s just not feeling it!…