| Prayer: Father, how deep is Your wisdom. “How unsearchable are His (Your) judgments and how incomprehensible His (Your) ways!” Help me to understand Your mercy, justice and righteousness, how they all fit together. In Jesus’ name, amen. Reading: Psalm 13 key: vs. 1-3 1 For the music director, a psalm of David. 2 How long, Adonai? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? 3 How long must I have cares in my soul and daily sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? Attention: Four times the psalmist cries out to Adonai, “How long?” How long will You forget me? How long will You hide your face? How long must I sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? We have all faced those moments of despair. How much longer must I bear this pain? How much longer must I suffer? We must take a clue from the psalmist as to the answer to, “How long?” Do you see the way that the psalmist pivots from despair to a declaration of faith? He questions God and even gets in His face, “Look at me and answer.” God can handle our directness, our sorrow, our despair. When push comes to shovel, the psalmist humbles himself and says, “I trust in Your lovingkindness.” Love kindness is a forgotten virtue in the community of faith. Barry H. Corey, Biola’s President focus’ on the virtue of having a “firm center and soft edges,” in his book, Love Kindness. The firm center is knowing and embracing your core values with a softness about you so that others find us accessible and approachable. We are not threatened by who they are because we know who we are. May we discover love kindness in the midst of a tough world. Mercy and love kindness involve action, require action. Action: I will be intentional in my love kindness on my walk today by giving a smile and a greeting to those I pass today. Yield: Mercy and loving kindness are intentional actions to practice every day. Engage: When I engage in mercy, I reflect Jesus to the world. Relationship: When I give mercy and loving kindness, I am paying forward the mercy which Jesus has given me. Prayer: Father, You require me to walk humbly before You and man. Help me today to put mercy and loving kindness into action. Memory Verse: Colossian 3:12 12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves in tender compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience Music Video: Kindness – Chris Tomlin |
| Remember: Abide in Jesus today. |