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by Ruth O’Neil
“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, ”Go and do likewise” Luke 10:36-37
One of the definitions of mercy is “to have pity.” We as humans are a pitiful bunch. Another definition is to “withhold punishment.” We really need mercy and a lot of it! Fortunately, God has enough mercy to go around and then some. Having mercy is a continuous job for Him since we keep messing up in this life. We continually need His mercy. As long as we live in this fallen world, we will sin.
We should live our lives as the Good Samaritan did (see Luke 10). He didn’t have to stop and help the wounded man, but he chose to because it was the right thing to do. Mercy isn’t easy. It’s hard, especially when the one that needs our mercy the most is probably the least deserving.
But God, in His great love for us, made a way for all of us who are imperfect, yet still have a home in heaven with Him. The difference is that sin no longer has power over us. We have power over it if we work at it. All of sin’s power was left at the foot of the cross when Christ was crucified. All of our sins are covered in His blood.
That is mercy.
We cannot repay God’s mercy. It is a gift He has given to His precious children; that’s us.
Excerpt from The 25 Days of Christmas Family Devotional.
https://www.amazon.com/Days-Christmas-Family-Devotional-Meaningful-ebook/dp/B01N1LTH26
About the Author:
Ruth O’Neil has been writing for over 20 years. She has published hundreds of articles in numerous publications. She loves to touch the emotions when she writes. “If I can make one person laugh or cry, I’ll consider myself successful.” Her first novel “Come Eat at My Table” has just come out in ebook form and can be purchased on her website. She homeschools her three children (well, one now, as two have graduated). She and her husband have been married for 20-plus years. In her spare time she enjoys quilting, crafting, and reading. You can visit her on her blog at ruths-real-life (dot)blogspot.com or her website at ruthoneil (dot)weebly.com
