Love Shows Mercy
OPENING PRAYER:
Lord, help me to be able to love you by showing love and mercy to others. Amen.
READ:
“Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.” James 2:12-13 NIV
“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.” Ephesians 2:4-7 NIV
“But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” Luke 6:35-36 NIV
REFLECT:
One of the greatest acts of mercy that I can think of is to be a “living“ organ donor. I can understand the willingness to do this for a family member, but a greater sacrifice of mercy is to share an organ with a friend. Several years ago, we had an acquaintance who suffered from a genetic liver disease and needed a transplant in order to live. They were not able to find anyone in his family who could serve as a donor and his deteriorating health made it imperative that they find a donor soon. It was discovered that a member of his church congregation was a match and could serve as a donor. The doctors explained the risks (which were many) that could go wrong during the surgery. After much prayer, it was decided to proceed with the transplant surgery. This saved the transplant recipient’s life.
APPLY:
To show mercy we may not be asked to put our lives at risk, but there are many ways of showing mercy to someone in need. Opportunities abound in Wichita to do this. One of our home teams serves monthly at the Mission of Hope, a rehab center for recovering addicts. The members indicate this is a rewarding experience. Check with Daniel Southworth, Home Team Director, for ideas how you can reach out and show mercy.
CLOSING PRAYER:
Lord help me serve you by doing random acts of mercy that you open to me. Amen.