HOW GREAT IS GOD'S MERCY?
Ps. 103:11, "For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him."
First, it is important to understand God's mercy toward us, His beloved people before we can know how we are to treat others. God's mercy is as high as the heaven is above the earth, and it is also from everlasting to everlasting(Ps. 103:17andPs. 106:48).
Mercy is all about having the power and position to harm, control, get revenge or abuse someone, but instead you shower them with compassion. This is God's great blessing to all of His people on a daily basis.
He is all-powerful, all-knowing, and omnipresent, and yet He doesn't do to us as our sins deserve.Ps. 103:10, "He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities."
What Should Our Response Be to God's Great Mercy Toward Us?
As God has shown us tremendous mercy; we ought also to show this same mercy to those around us daily. When we do not respond in like manner to being treated unfairly, rudely and negatively; we are giving mercy to those who do not deserve it; just as The Lord does for us.
Mercy is a rare virtue these days because people are under much stress. This makes mercy all that more valuable and effective. Always what is unique and uncommon is of great worth, and people will take notice, and they will understand that you can show mercy because you, as a Christian have received so much mercy from the living God of the universe.
The more mercy we give out; the more mercy we will receive in our own helpless situations. Many times helplessness induces the bully spirit in others. Why? Simply because when a person is helpless; they are vulnerable to the power of others whether good or bad.
The Scriptures depict many helpless people who were crying out to Jesus over and over again, "Lord, have mercy on me."We were in that helpless situation before we accepted the Lord Jesus Christ into our hearts. He had mercy on us, and He has given us everything we need to have a powerful, abundant and blessed life.
Now, we in turn can show mercy to those who need it. Many times we are placed in a position to show mercy to someone. How do we respond?
How we respond to helpless people that are in dire need will determine how God will pour out His mercy upon us in the future.Matthew 5:7,"Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy."
The Law of sowing and reaping tells us that what we give out is what we will receive. The more mercy we show to others; the more we will receive from the almighty God.
There are so many small and large ways to show mercy. When in line at a store, do you look behind you to see if there is a person who only has a few items, and you let them in front of you?
Do you pick up items that have been dropped in stores or from people? These are small everyday ways to show mercy.
Larger ways to show mercy are when someone has hurt you; you still treat them exactly the same way, and you do not try to get any revenge or hold a grudge. You overlook their offence, and you don't talk about it to others.
Even larger ways to show mercy are to help someone that is being persecuted. You can stand up for those who are being slandered. You can help someone that is being "gang stalked" (google search term) which is the new term for those who are being terrorized in the most horrible way imaginable in America, Canada and The UK.
There are countless ways to show mercy to people these days, as more and more people are needing mercy from their fellowman. Some people have had to leave their homes, some have been laid off, some have lost everything including their families.
When you show God's mercy to a person; you are revealing God's heart to them. You are giving them a ray of hope that there is a God in heaven, and that God is using you to help them in their time of need.
We all have times of need when we are totally dependent on another's mercy. Store up your treasure of mercy in heaven so that you will be given plenty of mercy when your time of need comes its way.
The bully who uses the helplessness of a person to abuse them; will have a time when he or she needs mercy, but it will not be there for them.
Today, there are neighborhood bullies, workplace bullies and school bullies galore, but people who are merciful are very exceptional and priceless. They are the jewels among the wood, hay and stubble.
They shine forth like diamonds in the radiance of The Son, Jesus Christ, and they point the way to Him each day. They are living testimonies of the mercy of God in their own lives.
Those that are merciful will bear the beautiful fruit that is needed desperately in The Body of Christ today.John 15:2, "Every branch in Me that beareth not fruit He taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, He purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit."
Be merciful, and you will obtain all of the mercy that you need to make it in this life, and to bear much fruit for the Kingdom of God.
Peggy Kannaday has been the Managing Editor for The "Church Growth International" Ministry since 1991.
Contact: Fort Mill, SC 803 547-2164, pkannaday@gmail.com
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