March 6, 2023

 

 

Merciful Father.


But do we know what that means? 

Can we be merciful if we don’t receive mercy from the One we need it from most?


Merciful Father. Full of forgiveness. Overflowing with compassion. 


It wasn’t only Jesus who made sacrifices; but because of the love of the Father, we were given Jesus. We were given an opportunity to be back in right standing with Him. We were given the grace to be in relationship with such a beautiful and holy God. What a privilege it is!


As I look towards Easter and ponder the life of Jesus, I can’t stop thinking about the humility of Christ. He showed us how to walk as he walked - every day laying ourselves down, every day seeking to value others above ourselves, every day looking to others interests before our own. 


One of today’s readings was Psalm 79, and in it the psalmist is crying out to God asking how long his anger will burn over Jerusalem for all their sin. “Do not hold against us the sins of past generations; may your mercy come quickly to meet us, for we are in desperate need. Help us, God our Saviour, for the glory of your name; deliver us and forgive our sins for your name’s sake.” (79: 8-9) 


Personally, I think we won’t understand the mercy of God until we can learn to be humble with ourselves. I have been thinking so much about my humanity recently. And I think humility shows our humanity, because it allows me to be human and it allows God to be God. It shows our dependence on him. Nothing good comes out of my own flesh, so I must lean on him to bring what he does. In that place I can receive compassion, in that place I can receive forgiveness, in that place I can receive fulfilment, in that place I can receive love, in that place I can receive life. And that sounds pretty good to me. Only then, can we overflow and reciprocate that to those around us. Luke tells us “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”


So I say it again,

Merciful Father.


This song has been on repeat in my van here in New Zealand and I hope you guys will enjoy it as much as I do. One line of the chorus says ‘dependency is the cry of my very soul’. I feel that this song very much displays where I am at currently with Jesus. And when I think about a Merciful Father, I can’t help but stand in gratitude for where God has brought me knowing he’ll be faithful time and time again. 


That’s my prayer for you, that you would see God for who he is, lean on the mercy of the father, trusting that he is full of mercy and compassion. 

 

- Jo Wills

 

 


 

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