Mercy Movement

For Thursday, June 16

Mercy Movement

1 Kings 15:25-17:24; Acts 10:24-48; Psalm 134:1-3; Proverbs 17:9-11 (click to read)

(1 Kings 15) 33 Baasha son of Ahijah became king of Israel in Asa's third year as king of Judah, and he ruled twenty-four years from Tirzah. 34 Baasha also disobeyed the LORD by acting like Jeroboam, who had caused the Israelites to sin.

I know it's in the Bible but sometimes it seems quite unprofitable to read all this stuff about the kings of Judah and Israel. I was thinking about that as I read and maybe the Spirit told me something. Here's the nugget:
     I like the lesson of the book of Judges in the Old Testament. It is a story of human frailty and God's continual mercy and grace in the face of justice and judgement needed. The story is about the whole people. I just noticed that the stories in this reading are about individual people - people who had the chance to follow God's instruction but then went the other way. And God does NOT wipe out the entire nation. God holds the leader responsible for how he leads and directions he takes. True, in most cases the family is destroyed, but not the whole people. It is, then, the advancing of grace as God works with one leader after another to find a faithful follower. In a century or so, the Bible will contain statements for full personal responsibility for actions and punishment, and here is God, demonstrating that His Grace moves from people to leaders to (eventually) the everyday person. God is very intent that I (we) know that even though God is completely righteous and will require justice, God is also gracious and merciful. So I (we) are invited to trust this mercy and become more and more His Disciple each day of our lives. 

Lord Jesus - we humans are so demanding of mercy when we deserve none. We want justice to not apply to us, even while we demand You apply it to our enemies. I want to fully appreciate Your Amazing Mercy and Grace to me, and I want to help others appreciate and receive it as well. Thank You for Your Healing Grace.

(You can download the Pathway 2011 Bible reading list here.)