We have now entered the season of Lent.  For many Christians, Lent is taken as a time of preparation for the celebration of Easter where God miraculously redeemed mankind by resurrecting His Son from the dead. It is also a time to consider what Jesus said and did; and how we should be living in light of His Words.  ✞ ♥

During this season, here on the Seeking Him devotional blog, we have chosen to focus our devotionals on Jesus’ instructions and admonition communicated in Matthew chapter 5—the Beatitudes.  Jesus said, “Blessed are…” and He went on to give instruction as to how to be “blessed.”  To be ‘blessed’ is to ‘be happy, or to be envied.’   Truly for the Christian, we ARE blessed—oh, how very blessed we are!  Those who observe our lives should clearly be able to tell that we ARE blessed—and that we KNOW it! ✞ ♥

Please consider Jesus’ instructions along with us.  We pray that our words will encourage you and spur you on to be prepare your hearts for the joyous celebration of His Resurrection!  ✞ ♥

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 
Matthew 5:7 NIV

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
It is by his great mercy that we have been born again,
because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead.
Now we live with great expectation….
1 Peter 1:3

Every Christian has received mercy.

The fact that we can call ourselves born-again Christians indicates that we have been shown mercy.  God, in all His infinite wisdom and knowledge, gives mercy—freely.  Not only is God’s mercy free, but He offers mercy to everyone.  Jesus told the parable of the unmerciful servant.  The story of the gospel is a story soaked in mercy!  He offered mercy to the women caught in adultery.  He showed mercy to Peter after he denied Him three times.

Each of these stories illustrate God’s mercy, but there is another account I want to focus on….

When God saw what they had done and how they had put a stop to their evil ways, He changed His mind and did not carry out the destruction He had threatened. This change of plans greatly upset Jonah, and he became very angry. So he complained to the Lord about it: “Didn’t I say before I left home that you would do this, Lord ? That is why I ran away to Tarshish! I knew that You are a merciful and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. You are eager to turn back from destroying people. Just kill me now, Lord! I’d rather be dead than alive if what I predicted will not happen.”
Jonah 3:10-4:3

Reading Jonah’s response makes me laugh.  Literally, he wants to die because God showed mercy to a repenting city.  The difference between Jonah’s story and our day to day lives is that the people we are asked to give mercy to are the ones who steal from us, who hurt us and our loved ones—the ones who don’t deserve it and for good reason!

Oversimplified, the concept of showing mercy is give because you received. God gave us mercy and so we should give it.  (And before the comparing and contrasting starts…remember, a sin is a sin.)

I personally find it easier to extend mercy by calling it “undeserved mercy.”  This helps remind me that I’m not giving it because it’s deserved, but that I’m giving it because I didn’t deserve it and yet, I got it.

Oh, and don’t forget to accept mercy from God and be merciful to yourself.

The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease.
Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning.
Lamentations 3:22-23

*  ~  ♥  ~   ✞   ~  ♥  ~  *

Thank You, Lord, for Your new mercies.  Thank You for Your endless mercy. And help me to extend the same mercies to those around me.  Praying in Jesus’ name, amen.