N.T.#222 "Mercy, Forgiveness, Compassion, Pity"
Jan. 12, 2024
Matthew 18-Part 12
LET IT GLOW
This chapter is hard to study, isn't it? Like a cow that lies down chewing her cud after eating grass or hay, I have been pondering and chewing on Jesus' Words. Is there someone we need to forgive? Help is here.
In the story, after the king spoke to the servant who owed him an extravagant amount, threatened to put him and his family in prison, the king had compassion on the debtor, loosed him, and forgave him. How marvelous is our God who forgives us of our sins.
Then the servant turns right around and does the same thing to one who owed him. The indebted man asked for patience so he could repay his debt. But the first man would not and put him into prison. His fellow servants went snitched on him to the king. That didn't sit well and the king.
The king asked his forgiven servant, "Shouldn't you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?"
Jesus used the words compassion and pity. They use the same word in the Greek. It means compassionate (by word or deed, especially divine grace); have (obtain, receive, show) mercy (on).
The king was right wasn't he?
LET IT GROW
Mercy is a gift. It is undeserved. If not for His mercy, He (God) would punish us each time we sin. But rather than letting us hear the full punishment for our sin, God demonstrated His mercy when He paid the penalty for our sin Himself. Jesus commanded His disciples to extend the same mercy to others that they had received from God. (Blackaby)
Could any offense committed against us be as undeserved as the abuse hurled against the sinless Son of God?
Nehemiah 9:17b says, ... but Thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsookest them not.
If we find it difficult to forgive others, we may need to meditate on the mercy of God.
These are not easy words to read , much less apply.
LET IT GO
Lor, how merciful you are!
Help us show mercy to our enemies, unloving person, grouch.
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