Short Devotion: Mercy Me - Matthew 5v7

 

Matthew 5:7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” (ESV)

            When I celebrate Communion at the church, one of the main areas that I focus on comes when the celebrant says: “O Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us.” It is one of the most meaningful points in the sacrament because it reminds me of how much the gift of mercy is an essential part of Christ’s ministry. At that sacred moment, I know that I am a sinful creature in need of God’s grace, so when I hear those beautiful words, I am both ashamed and assured at the same time: I am ashamed because of my past sins; I am assured because of God’s great mercy.

            But mercy just isn’t personally given to me because I am in need of forgiveness; it’s also a gift which I am meant to share. After being forgiven, I could fall into the temptation of being merciless to those around me. My self-righteous holiness could make me judgmental of others who are struggling with their own sins, or issues, or problems. Instead of seeing them as folks who need God’s mercy and love just as much as I do, I could be morally blinded by my pride into thinking that they deserve what they get, or that I’ve experienced the same issues and have risen above them, so why can’t they do the same?

            Jesus taught us many things with words, but He also applied His teaching with deeds. If we think about when He was nailed to the cross, He didn’t curse those who were killing Him, but instead He pleaded with His Father to forgive them – a divine act of mercy that makes the cross not a terrible instrument of death, but an everlasting symbol of forgiveness, grace, and life.

            So, next time we’re celebrating Communion, perhaps we would do well to ponder on how much God’s mercy comes to us through Christ and then think about how we could show and share that mercy with other people who are struggling, too.

Q: How has God been merciful to me? Did I deserve such a gift? How can I apply mercy to others?

Prayer: O Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us.

O Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us.

O Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, grant us Your peace. Amen.

Today’s image is one of John’s Good Friday drawings called “Faraway Hill.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click this link: Faraway Hill.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to see what the church is doing, check out the website at www.erinpres.org

Spiritual Depression - Matthew 5:3

Matthew 5:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (NIV)

            I’ve suffered from depression for as long as I can remember. Sometimes it gets so bad that I have to take medicine; at other times, I manage to get through on my own willpower and strength. It’s not something that you can predict will happen and because there is still such a stigma attached to it, you don’t want to broadcast it or burden others with your woes. You just have to get through each day and hope that the gloom will lift eventually. I find that the winter months can be the most grueling, which may have something to do with the shortened days and longer nights.

            When I think about depression, I have my own ideas. Firstly, I think that everybody goes through some form of depression in their lives. Secondly, and I know it will sound crazy, I wonder if we’re supposed to hibernate as mammals and slow down during winter. All our current busy-ness and hyperactivity seems to go against the natural order of things. Even Jesus took time off during the winter months from His ministry to either be at home with His family or with friends.

            In my bleakest moments – and believe me, there are some real dingers – I turn to the scriptures for help and comfort. Usually, a verse from the Psalms pinpoints what I’m experiencing, but overall, today’s highlighted verse from the lips of Jesus keeps me focused on getting better and holding on to my faith. I guess this verse appeals to me because depression personally feels like a time of spiritual poverty and emptiness in my soul that only God’s presence and compassion can fill.

            Perhaps you weren’t expecting this kind of confession from me, after all, I’m a pastor so I should be so full of the Spirit that depression should not be able to touch or affect me. But like many great characters in the Bible, I’m only human, so of course I can succumb to depression – just like Abraham, Jacob, Noah, Moses, Joshua, Samson, Naomi, Saul, David, Jonah, Jeremiah, Isaiah, Mary, Peter, Thomas, Paul, John Mark…the list goes on.

            Whatever you are going through today, please know this: you belong to God and His Kingdom, which means that you are loved eternally and embraced completely.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we all need to be reassured and loved. When depression overwhelms us, keep us safe in Your arms. When spiritual poverty besets us, enrich us with Your compassion and love. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to give feedback about today’s message, please send him an email to Traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is one of John’s drawings of the Cross. It’s called “Celtic Sunrise.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click this link: Cross.