| Prayer: Father, I cannot possibly know You apart from Your Word. If I do not know Your Word, I at best have an incomplete, distorted, inaccurate view of You. Teach me, show me who You are. In Jesus’ name, amen. Reading: Psalms 6 key: vs. 2-5 2 Adonai, do not rebuke me in Your anger! Do not discipline me in Your wrath. 3 Be gracious to me, Adonai, for I am weak. Heal me, Adonai—for my bones are shuddering with fear, 4 as is my soul— and You, Adonai—how long? 5 Turn toward me, Adonai, deliver my soul! Save me—because of Your mercy. Attention: I cannot possibly know God’s mercy without understanding God’s justice and righteousness. I love to receive God’s mercy and love, but it cannot be separated from His justice and righteousness. The Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (HIBD) defines God’s mercy as, “God’s justice and righteousness cannot be overlooked in this matter of mercy, Exodus 34:6-7 (TLV) makes it clear that God’s judgment will override His mercy where man’s sinful rebellion turns away from His righteousness and love. Here God’s mercy is manifested in His slow action and deferred punishment, not in ignoring sin and refusing to act in wrath.” Furthermore, “God’s wrath is the resulting action against man’s rebellion after His mercy has been exhausted (pg. 1106).” Yesterday’s chapter reading was a morning prayer for justice. Today, David prays for mercy. They are related, but not the same. I cannot properly apply God’s justice without understanding God’s mercy. Here is another explanation HIBD provides about mercy. “In both the Old Testament and New Testament, mercy is always extended by the larger to the smaller, the rich to the poor, the strong to the weak, and the Righteous One to the sinner. God’s chief disposition towards sinful man is mercy, spawned by His love, which exerts His power to bring sinful man back to Himself. Mercy from God is never deserved and is always generated by His character and not man’s.” Without God’s DNA within us, we cannot appropriately and adequately apply justice, and mercy, and love. They are all God’s character. I am the only Jesus most people will see. Action: I desire for the Holy Spirit to transform my character to be like His. Steeped in justice, mercy, and love. Yield: I am surrendered when I want to be like Him. Engaged: I am engaged when I strive to be like Him. Relationship: I am in full relationship when I am being conformed to His image. Prayer: Father, Your Word says that those who are merciful will be shown mercy, which sounds a lot like if we do not forgive others, we will not be forgiven. Help me be like You. In Jesus’ name, amen. Memory Verse: Exodus 34:6-7 6 Then Adonai passed before him, and proclaimed, “Adonai, Adonai, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness and truth, 7 showing mercy to a thousand generations, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, yet by no means leaving the guilty unpunished, but bringing the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, to the third and fourth generation.” Music Video: Mercy Me – Word of God Speak |
| Remember: Abide in Jesus today. |