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

Christian devotions: Mea Culpa - Luke 18:13

Luke 18:13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’”

As many of you know, my mother was a Roman Catholic and when she was both young and fit, she went to Sunday Mass. She grew up in the days when all Masses were said in Latin, which she learned to recite at an early age. In later years, in the midst of her tragic moments of insanity, she would sometimes wail and beat her breast, saying, “Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa.”

At the time I had no idea what she was doing. It was only when I went to Divinity School that I learned the meaning of the phrase. It was once used by Roman Catholics at Latin Mass just before they took communion. It literally means, “I’m to blame, I’m to blame, I’m totally to blame.” It comes from today’s passage (Luke 18:9-14) when Jesus told the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector.

The tax collector recognizes his unworthiness before God and beats his breast. He knows that he has done something wrong, so he feels that he cannot approach God or even look up to Heaven. He also knows that his only hope is in receiving God’s mercy: he cannot do anything to obtain this; he cannot justify his sinful choices; he can only stand and wait for God’s forgiveness.

As Jesus points out in the parable, the tax collector’s sincere, contrite, and humble prayer is heard by God and answered compassionately. This is an example of God’s grace through Christ, which we all need every day of our lives.

The beautiful blessing of Christianity abides in this: when we make mistakes, they are not irredeemable; and when we sincerely confess them to Jesus, He forgives completely.

Questions for personal reflection

Do I still have something in my life that remains un-confessed? Do I want to be forgiven?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, You know us completely, even those sins and mistakes that we are ashamed of or too proud to confess. Help us to pray about them and encourage to humbly ask You for mercy. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

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

Today’s image is one of John’s latest Fall drawings. It’s called “Autumn Magic” and features the Glade Creek Grist Mill which is located just off the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia. If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link:

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8449/8041616084_bbd1f3b6ec_b.jpg

Free Daily Devotions: Mercy Me - Psalm 6

Psalm 6:9 The LORD has heard my cry for mercy; the LORD accepts my prayer.

I don’t know how I would get through each day if I didn’t know about the mercy of God. I still make many mistakes, even although at my age you would think I would know better. Every night I need to ask God to forgive my selfishness and stupidity. Each morning, I ask for guidance to make good decisions and for avoidance of conflict, but by the time the sun goes down, I’m looking for mercy and forgiveness yet again.

I guess it’s all a part of the human condition: we make mistakes and need mercy. Thankfully, God has an amazing amount of patience which gives me hope for the future. Perhaps one day I’ll persevere and praise God for a day without any mistakes.

I love the way that King David of old wears his emotions on his sleeve. He doesn’t seem to mind who hears his confessions and failings. When he sings, he really prays to God for help. Writing psalms must have been good therapy for David. It makes me wonder if he would be writing about his pain and suffering, turmoil and troubles on Facebook or MySpace if he were alive today.

Perhaps you’re feeling guilty today about something that caused offence or maybe a harsh word that came from your lips. You might be feeling bad about something you’ve forgotten or concerning someone you’ve let down. Maybe you’re carrying baggage from the past or unresolved mistakes. My advice to you would be the same that I give to myself each day: come to God in prayer and ask for mercy. Seek His forgiveness now and find that acceptance you really need. Whenever we are unable, God is most able. 

Prayer:                        Lord of Mercy and Hope, forgive us for past mistakes and unholy choices. Pardon us for hurting our loved ones and for neglecting to help those in need. Give us the courage to learn from the past and the wisdom to seek Your guidance in all that we seek to say or do. In Christ’s Sacred Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.