Calendar

TRUE HAPPINESS IN CHRIST: BE MERCIFUL
LORD’S DAY, JULY 9
Matthew 18:23-35

Matthew 5:7

 

“Blessed are the merciful:

for they shall obtain mercy.”

 

TRUE HAPPINESS IN CHRIST: BE MERCIFUL
 
The fifth blessing is for the merciful who shall obtain mercy. Mercy is an attribute of God. Psalm 136 has 26 verses and each verse repeats the phrase, “for His mercy endures for ever.” Truly we are to give thanks to our God for His mercy endures for ever. Our Father in heaven is “the Father of mercies” (2 Cor 1:3), and that “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost” (Titus 3:5). Then what does “merciful” mean? It means to be actively compassionate and sympathetic in mind, in thought and in action. It means to withhold punishment from offenders who deserve it and to give help to the helpless who do not deserve it. God showed mercy in saving us from the condemnation to Hell while we deserve it and He helps us and blesses us while we do not deserve it.
 
As God has mercy upon us, we are to show mercy to others (Luke 6:36). The servant who enjoyed great mercy from the king but did not show mercy to his fellow-servant was rebuked and punished (Matt 18:23-35).
 
It is a blessing for us to forgive others and to show mercy to others. And we can never do this if we do not acknowledge our own spiritual poverty and our eternal condemnation to Hell, and we do not see and appreciate God’s great mercy upon us while we do not deserve it. Thank God that we are encouraged to trust and come to our Lord Jesus Christ, our merciful and faithful High Priest, to obtain His grace and mercy in time of need (Heb 2:17; 4:16), and then through His mercy, we may show His mercy to others.
 
THOUGHT: “He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth: but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he” (Prov 14:21).

PRAYER: Father, please help me be merciful as Thou art merciful.

Search