Mar 07 2022

But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children.

Psalm 103 is a meditation by King David. He writes to stir his own soul to praise the Lord for who He is and for the many great things He has done. He wanted to give thanks to God, so he thinks about His goodness and the mercy that the Lord has shown him.

Think about the many ways that the Lord has shown you mercy. What sins did you commit yesterday for which He has already forgiven you? Think about the many blessings that He has given you: literacy, Internet access, and most importantly, Himself. There is no greater mercy than being able to have a relationship with the Lord.

The Lord paid a tremendous cost for letting us have this relationship with Him. We had lost that opportunity by sinning, turning against God and rejecting Him. The only way we could ever have a relationship with Him was through a perfect sacrifice—and Jesus, the Son of God, was that sacrifice. He endured a brutal death and an even more brutal separation from God. When He arose from the dead three days later, He had defeated sin and made it possible for us to know Him. This is mercy.

The Lord has shown us mercy in love. He did not need to have a relationship with us; he did not need us at all. But because He loved us, He decided to show us mercy and make a way for us to have a relationship with Him again. He was willing to give us mercy because of His love for us.

Are there people in your life whom you love but struggle to show mercy to? Reflect on Jesus. Think about how love compelled Him to death on a cross. Ask the Lord to help you understand more deeply the level of mercy that has been shown to you. Ask Him to help you respond to it by being merciful to others in return.

Dear Lord, I am so grateful for the mercy that you have shown me. Thank you for the abundance of grace that you have heaped upon me, and for the wisdom of your kindness and love. Help me to default to mercy in all circumstances, to love others right where they are. In Jesus' name, amen.

Mar 06 2022

The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way. :

King David wrote Psalm 25 as a meditation on his affection and love for the Lord. In the Psalm, there are a lot of instructions and comforting reminders about prayer, knowing God, and the guidance that He gives us. Today's verse is a reminder that the Lord will show us the paths that we should take in our lives.

The verse begins by saying that the Lord will guide the meek in judgment. The Lord will teach us how Biblical truths apply to our daily lives. He will help us understand how knowing that He is full of love changes the way that we treat other people. He will use our growing understanding of His promises to shape our behavior.

However, there is a caveat. The Lord does not guide everyone; He instructs only the meek. What does it mean to be meek? Contrary to common belief, meekness does not mean to be a weakling! Instead, being meek is simply our willingness to accept that we need the Lord to help us. It means that we have humble spirits and recognize that all the good within us has come from the Lord. The Lord is not interested in helping people who believe that they are self-sufficient. Instead, He guides those who recognize that they depend upon Him for every single breath.

He will teach the meek His way. This means if we are earnestly striving to know the Lord, we do not have to fret about missing His will for us. The Lord isn't holding a big secret over our heads that He'll reveal once we've jumped through a certain number of holy hoops. The Lord has given us all the guidance that we need to be completely in His will for today. We do not need a five-year plan from the Lord. Instead, we need humble submission and striving to get to know Him and a willingness to obey Him hour after hour, day after day.

Dear Lord, help me to be meek. It's easy to become prideful and to think that I have it all together. However, I want what you have for me, and I do not want to sacrifice your guidance for my false illusion of self--sufficiency. Help me to recognize that you are the author of my life. I love you, Lord. In Jesus' name, amen.


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