Merciful God – PART 2

Merciful God (Matthew 5:7) – PART 2

Matthew 5:7, “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.”

1. God’s mercy should compel believers to practice mercy.
The Beatitudes give mercy as a continuing attitude and action of the redeemed. Matthew 5:7, “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.”

In the Beatitudes, Christ is teaching the attitudes that are within those who are truly part of the kingdom of God. With this specific attitude of mercy, Jesus gives a mutual promise. He says mercy will be given to those who have shown mercy. Those who practice mercy in their daily lives: forgiving others, giving to the poor, etc., will always receive mercy from God. But to those who do not show mercy, God will show His justice. Matthew 6:15, “But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

Certainly, this should be a warning to us. If we withhold mercy, God will withhold mercy from us—He will not forgive us. But even worse than withholding mercy, He will judge us for not being merciful as He is. Matthew 18:33-35, “Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.”

Understanding that this is a characteristic of God should cause us to practice the discipline of being merciful. By practicing mercy, we will look more like our Father who is great in mercy, and it also is the doorway to receiving tremendous blessings in our lives.

2. God’s mercy should compel believers to love mercy.
Micah 6:8, “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”
Micah says we must not only show mercy but love it. It is very possible for our acts of kindness and forgiveness toward others to have the wrong motive or simply to be done out of obligation.

I Peter 4:9, “Use hospitality one to another without grudging.”
God not only commands our actions, but He commands our hearts. He commands us to love our neighbors as ourselves and to love him with all our heart, mind, and soul. God has called for us to love showing mercy because He loves showing mercy.

This is a wonderful characteristic of God that we must strive to show every day to those God has placed around us. God’s mercy must also continually drive us to the feet of God in prayer to ask for mercy on us, our communities, our nations, and all those around us. Thank you, Lord, that you are God of mercy. Thank you, Lord, that you don’t keep a record of sins, for who could stand your wrath? Psalm 130:3, “If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?”

Questions to Consider:
In what ways do we see God’s mercy reflected throughout the Scripture?
In what ways is God calling us to demonstrate His mercy to the church and those around us?
Points to Ponder:
Pray that God would be great in mercy to your nation for its sins (Psalm 51:1).
Pray a prayer of confession for specific sins and ask for God to bring revival.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for having mercy toward me. By all rights, I should be eternally separated from Your holiness and kindness. Cultivate within me a heart that displays mercy and forgiveness. In Jesus' name. Amen.

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