God is a merciful judge.
God has granted us mercy.
God calls us to grant mercy to others.
A few weeks ago I was blessed to have been able to preach in our church’s 2023 advent series, “The God I Want”. I spoke primarily from Matthew 18:
“For this reason, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his slaves. As he began settling his accounts, a man who owed 10,000 talents was brought to him. Because he was not able to repay it, the lord ordered him to be sold, along with his wife, children, and whatever he possessed, and repayment to be made. Then the slave threw himself to the ground before him, saying, ‘Be patient with me, and I will repay you everything.’ The lord had compassion on that slave and released him, and forgave him the debt. After he went out, that same slave found one of his fellow slaves who owed him 100 silver coins. So he grabbed him by the throat and started to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ Then his fellow slave threw himself down and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will repay you.’ But he refused. Instead, he went out and threw him in prison until he repaid the debt. When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were very upset and went and told their lord everything that had taken place. Then his lord called the first slave and said to him, ‘Evil slave! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me! Should you not have shown mercy to your fellow slave, just as I showed it to you?’ And in anger his lord turned him over to the prison guards to torture him until he repaid all he owed. So also my heavenly Father will do to you, if each of you does not forgive your brother from your heart.”
(Matthew 18:23-35, NET)
With everything going on in the world feeling (at times) overwhelming, and not knowing how we as individuals can make much of a difference at all, I find solace & purpose in understanding that God calls us to follow after Him by helping to preserve the world and granting mercy freely to those in our lives, regardless of their deserving it. We didn’t (and don’t) “deserve” the Christ Child, but thanks be, He shows up in our mangerly-hearts anyway.
May 2023 finish with His Kingdom being clearer than it has been, and may 2024 bring more of His Heavenly peace on His earth.
The God I Want Is A God Of Justice...