Mercy Received, Not Earned

Intro Week: Understanding Mercy, Part 3 of 5

This Week’s Memory Verse

“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” Luke 6:36 NIV

Psalm

“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.” Psalm 51:1 NIV

Proverbs

“Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.” Proverbs 28:13 NIV

Today’s Thought

One of the hardest things about mercy is that we cannot earn it. Mercy is RECEIVED, NOT EARNED.

We naturally want to prove ourselves, fix ourselves, or convince God that we deserve another chance. But mercy does not begin with what we have done for God. It begins with what God has done for us.

David understood that when he prayed, “Have mercy on me, O God.” He did not appeal to his goodness. He appealed to God’s unfailing love and great compassion.

The same is true for us. We come to Jesus with empty hands. We receive what we could never earn. And when we remember that it becomes much harder to demand that other people earn mercy from us.

Pray

“Father, thank you that I do not have to earn your mercy. Help me stop trying to prove myself and simply receive what you have freely given through Jesus. And because I have received mercy, help me become quicker to extend it to others. AMEN.”

Today’s Mercy Step

When you are tempted to decide whether someone “deserves” mercy today, stop and remember:

“Neither did I. I received it.”

Now, consider that and respond to that person in a way that reflects it.

Following Jesus by loving the people right in front of us…or next door,

Pastor Mark