All praise to the God and Father of our Master, Jesus the Messiah! Father of all mercy! God of all healing counsel! He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us. We have plenty of hard times that come from following the Messiah, but no more so than the good times of his healing comfort—we get a full measure of that, too.
2 Corinthians 1:3-5 (The Message)
What does mercy mean to you?
How have you been shown mercy?
Do you show mercy to others?
In youth group we just finished up a three-week series on God’s Mercy. We talked about lots of things like; what God’s mercy is, how God hears us and responds when we cry out for mercy, and how Jesus is the ultimate act of mercy from God to humanity. But the most impactful thing for me was exploring how we can be agents of God’s mercy in the world. God’s mercy is free to us. We do not have to do anything to “earn” it, but we should take action after we have received it. Receiving God’s comfort and mercy allows us to share that comfort and mercy with others who also go through hard times.
While Jesus was in human form here on earth, he freely gave God’s mercy to those who needed it. Jesus is no longer in physical form on earth, so it is up to those of us who call ourselves Christians (little Christs) to extend mercy to those in need of it. This can seem like a daunting task, but since we have already received God’s mercy, through Jesus dying on the cross for our sins and in smaller situations in our day to day lives, we can share it with others.
I encourage you to think of someone in your life who needs God’s comfort or mercy right now. How can you be God’s agent of mercy in their life?
Merciful God, thank you for the mercy you have shown me in my own life. Help me to be your agent of mercy in the world. I ask that you make me boldly merciful, ready to share with anyone who needs it, the mercy I have been shown by you. Amen
Blessings,
Pastor Justine
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