Today's
Devotion
TODAY'S SCRIPTURE
VERSE: For
he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath showed no mercy; and mercy
rejoiceth against judgment. James
2:13
MERCY
In
our everyday course of life mercy is most likely not the utmost subject on
our mind. We may go for hours without thinking about mercy even though we
experience mercy in every hour and moment of our lives. To the accused who
stands before the judge, mercy becomes a very prominent factor in their
life!
I am reminded of a message the Lord spoke to my heart about a few years
ago, entitled "mercy, a forgiving spirit" and the teachings of
the word of God concerning mercy. Mercy in this text is defined as active
compassion which is a product of love. "woe unto you, scribes and
pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and
have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith:
these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone." Mathew
23:23 Notice in this passage of scripture Christ has set forth the
more important areas of the law, and that "mercy" is placed
between judgment and faith. Until we are judged either by the preaching or
teaching of the word of God, or judging ourselves by God's word we sense
no need of mercy. It is the condemned that hope for mercy, and when we
have examined ourselves in the light of God's word we will immediately
sense a great need. As judgment makes us aware of our need of mercy, then
there needs be some means through which we obtain. "for by grace are
ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of
god:" Ephesians 2:8 In the realization of our need of mercy,
grace (unmerited favor) makes mercy available through Faith. But look at
the warning in "James 2:13" and see God's ultimate condition of
our receiving mercy. "for he shall have judgment without mercy, that
hath showed no mercy". "but if ye forgive not men their
trespasses, neither will your father forgive your trespasses." So
then by faith we obtain mercy as we are merciful ourselves, and mercy
rejoiceth against judgment, praise the Lord!
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