Be Merciful
James 2:13 Yes, you must show mercy to others. If you do not show mercy, then God will not show mercy to you when he judges you. But the one who shows mercy can stand without fear before the Judge.
Don’t know about you, but I believe in Jesus. So on that day of judgement, which is surely coming for all of us, I know that I’ll receive God’s mercy. But here’s a scary thought: what if I don’t? What if you don’t?
The mercy of God doesn’t make sense until we come to grips with the wrath of God. When some criminal’s found guilty as sin of their crime, we expect the judge to show no mercy in sentencing, right? That’s because we’re made in the image of God, with the same sense of justice as Him. So let’s not write off the justice and wrath of God simply because it seems a tad … unpalatable.
But God’s heart is a heart of love, grace, mercy. That’s why He sent Jesus to die on that cross for you and for me to fulfill the requirements of His justice. And that’s why I fully expect, through my faith in Jesus, to receive His mercy on that day of reckoning.
But is there anything … anything at all that could derail that mercy for me … for you?
James 2:13 Yes, you must show mercy to others. If you do not show mercy, then God will not show mercy to you when he judges you. But the one who shows mercy can stand without fear before the Judge.
Don’t shoot me, I’m just the messenger. This is straight out of God’s Word – the perfect executive summary of the parable that Jesus told about the servant forgiven a large debt by his master, only to insist that a fellow servant repay a much, much smaller debt. When the master found out, his wrath was unquenchable.
If you don’t show mercy, then God won’t show you mercy when he judges you.
That’s His Word. Fresh … for you … today.
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