Merciful – Beatitudes 5

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12 (Click link for scripture in Bible Gateway) God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy. (Matthew 5:7 NLT) Are you merciful? Let’s define being merciful as having the right, the opportunity, and the power to exact judgement, punishment, or pain on another person and then deciding not to do it—to let them off, set them free, not judge them. Let’s read it again… God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy. (Matthew 5:7 NLT) It’s almost automatic for us when we read a verse like the one above to think in terms of God saying “If you will, I will” or “Do this, and I’ll do that.” But that’s not mercy, is it? That’s just another form of karma, more of a “What goes around comes around.” You know what I mean? What if we saw this as describing a stream of mercy flowing out from the heart of a loving and merciful God, and saw our acts of mercy placing us in that “mercy stream” so God’s mercy flows over us, and into us, and through us to others? The LORD is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. (Psalm 145:8 NLT) 22 The faithful love of the LORD never ends! His mercies never cease. 23 Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. (Lamentations 3:22–23 NLT) Friends, “God blesses those who are merciful, and they will be shown mercy”, because in showing mercy to others, they immerse themselves in the stream of mercy and compassion flowing from God’s heart to saints and sinners alike! Prayer: Father, I’m so quick to judge other people! I’m quick to think about “my rights” and to focus on the wrongs done to me and the unfairness I experience. Please forgive me for judging and by your Grace, your Word, and your Spirit change my heart to become merciful like yours. May my concerns about “rights” be focused less on “my rights” and more on justice for others. If I contend for “rights” may I contend for the rights of others, not my own. May I learn to live my life immersed in the stream of mercy and compassion that flows from your heart to our fallen world. For your Kingdom’s sake, Amen!