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Written by Beliza Kocev, Brazil Coordinator for Iron Rose Sister Ministries
“Mercy triumphs over judgment!” (Jas 2:13b NIV)
I grew up in a very strict environment. The achievements, rarely celebrated, were seen as “she did no more than her obligation.” On the other hand, failures brought many punishments and were often remembered again, and again and again…
At the beginning of my Christian life, someone explained to me the difference between God's grace and God's mercy. In short: Grace—receiving something we don't deserve—salvation and eternal life. Mercy—not receiving something we deserve—punishment for sin and eternal death. “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved” (Eph 2:4-5).
We win on both sides! This didn't come for free, although it is for us! But not for God! “You were bought at a price” (1Co 6:20a). John the Baptist presented Jesus as the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world (Jn 1:29), and, by taking away our sin, He promises us eternal life (1Jn 2:25).
God's greatest mercy is to free us from eternal death, which is the consequence of our sin, and that in itself is a reason for great joy and celebration. But God's mercy is inexhaustible (La 3:22), and He gives us the chance to rewrite our story, and to live a new life here on earth! Yet another reason to celebrate! Although we need to deal with the consequences of our actions, we have the chance to live here as new creatures and feel the transformation of God in our actions, words, and even wills.
And part of celebrating God’s mercy is extending that mercy to others: “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful” (Lk 6:36). The parable of the unmerciful servant teaches us a valuable lesson: our failure to do God's will— our sin— is more serious than any offense anyone could commit against us (Mt 18:21-35).
“You wicked servant… I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?” (Mt 18:32-33). Part of the Christian life is showing the world the light of Jesus. When we are merciful to the people around us, we show our gratitude to God and celebrate the mercy He has given us.
Another way to celebrate is to proclaim this mercy so that other people can also experience it. Living with God, knowing that His goodness and mercy are with us, changes our lives. After all, it is impossible not to have your life transformed by knowing Christ, with eternal life in perspective! “The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. The LORD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made” (Ps 145:8-9). In a world full of evil, knowing God's goodness and mercy brings us comfort, encouragement, and purpose.
Another way to celebrate God's mercy is to remember it! When we know God and become aware of our sins, God's mercy touches us. We feel the love of God, expressed in His mercy in sending His only Son, the love that compels us, that led Him to become flesh so that we could be with them eternally. Gratitude and remembrance of God's mercy should not only be in our hearts at the moment of our conversion. They should be a significant part of our ongoing walk of faith. And so, in moments of failure and stumbling, when guilt and shame overwhelm us, let us remember that we can go to our merciful Father. May the memory of His open arms, full of mercy, bring us the courage to not move away from His path after falling.
May we be aware and rejoice in the mercy we receive from God, may we cry out for His mercy in the valleys of our lives, and may we proclaim to everyone how this mercy can also reach them!
In Psalm 89, the psalmist feels so grateful. He contemplates the wonderful actions of the LORD and has a clear intention: “I will sing of the LORD’s great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations” (Ps 89:1).
How will you celebrate God’s infinite mercy today?
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Written by Rayne Gomes, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Salvador, Brazil
“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” (Lk 6:36 NIV)
At my job, we provide services to a public organization responsible for granting benefits to citizens. It’s a normal day for me to serve dozens of people who have had their benefits denied, even though they have every right to receive them. Therefore, they contest the decision because, from a human perspective, everyone should receive what is due to them and it is unfair to not give someone what they deserve.
The spiritual perspective of mercy consists precisely of not granting something that is deserved. For us, this is a tremendous blessing because if we take into consideration what we deserve to receive due to our sinful nature, there would be nothing left for us but eternal condemnation.
The writer of the book of Hebrews talks a lot about the mediation and granting of this mercy in our lives. In chapter 2, verse 17, he states: “For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God.” It is interesting to see the emphasis that the author puts on the fact that when Jesus came in the flesh, He experienced the same situations as us and lived through the same reality as all humans. However, we know that He did not subject Himself to sin. Therefore, what would make someone turn God’s wrath onto themselves and receive the sentence that we deserved? M-E-R-C-Y.
When we deserved death, condemnation, and eternal distance from God… Jesus came and took our place so that we would not receive what was due to us. What a true relief!
Not only that, but Christ also destroyed that which could disable us eternally, brought us back to the family of God, and can claim that He knows exactly what we go through because He experienced the same pains, temptations, and trials so He could help us while we are in this life. And because He has also experienced this same life, He truly has compassion for us.
We can rest assured that, enjoying this immense benefit provided by Jesus as followers in His steps, there is nothing more important than imitating Him in our lives by also offering mercy to our neighbor. Of course, the application will be different. We cannot make atonement, nor do we need to, because Jesus has already done so, once and for all. However, extending a merciful hand to our brother or sister in forgiveness, love, and empathy leads us to an attitude of mercy, an example left by the Teacher who instructed His disciples in Luke 6:36, “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”
Take a moment to reflect: How can you be better at expressing your mercy towards others?
Remember, Christ has already done the hardest part, and He will help you along the way!