Memorise: For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. Hosea 6:6
Read: Matthew 18:23-35 (KJV)
23 Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.
24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.
25 But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
26 The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
27 Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.
28 But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.
29 And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
30 And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.
31 So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.
32 Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:
33 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?
34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.
35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.
Bible in one year:
1st Kings 8,
Acts 2:29-47,
Hymnal:
Sing hymn 7
Message:
Mercy is an attitude of compassion, care and concern, grounded in love and sympathy towards others. It is God’s nature that is fundamental to His interaction with His Creator. As one of God’s attributes, mercy is also a key character He demands from His people. Our compassion towards others as Christians is usually activated by God’s compassion for people.
It is expected that those who have received mercy from God would respond to human suffering with much concern and work to ameliorate this suffering with much concern and work to ameliorate this suffering. Apostle Paul recognised that his conversion from a life of rebellion against God and his subsequent call to the ministry was a product of God’s mercy. Here is his testimony in 1st Timothy 1:13
“Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.”
For this reason, he had so much passion to propagate God’s mercy to others through the gospel of reconciliation (2nd Corinthians 5:18-20). In today’s Bible reading, a servant who owed ten thousand talents was pardoned by his master, but as soon as he left the presence of his master, he met a fellow servant who owed him a hundred pence. He exacted the full force of his power on this poor fellow servant without mercy, casting him into prison. When this matter got to his master, in Matthew 18:33, his master simply asked him:
“Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowsarvant, even as I had pit on thee?
This clearly indicates to us that we are beneficiaries of the great mercy of God so that we also can become dispensers of this same mercy to all those who come in contact with us.
Apostle Paul valued his conversion as a product of great mercy, so much so that he spoke about mercy more than any individual in the Bible. His messages, interactions with people and handing of situations were based on the backdrop of God’s mercy. God’s people who are beneficiaries of His great mercy are expected to be channels of divine mercy in the church and in the world.
That is the reason why in Jesus’ teachings about the kingdom of God, He presents mercy as a primary characteristic of God’s kind of life and as a demonstration of His sovereignty. The power of love embedded in the message of the gospel speaks of God’s mercy, while transforming the lives of men by destroying the works of the devil demonstrates this mercy. Mercy ultimately leads to hunger for souls and to handling the people of God with tender care.
Prayer Point
Father, please fill my heart with Your tender mercy and a hunger for souls in Jesus’ Name.
Open Heavens Daily Devotional Lessons was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical Church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.
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