THE MERCY WE NEED

"As Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, 'Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!'" (Matthew 20:29-30, NIV)

If not with our audible voices, we have all begged for mercy on the golf course.

It happened to me the other day, during one of those rounds when every time it seemed that the ship was righting itself, it listed badly again. From crisp iron and a birdie to wayward drive and a three-putt.

It was enough to drive one crazy. Or to drive one to beg for mercy.

It's a tough idea, mercy.

For one, we are to give it. That can be challenge enough. We must first get past our judgments and excuses, setting them aside to dispense the compassion of God as He would. That often means we must go where we don't typically go and do what we don't normally do.

But there are times in our lives when we must also ask for mercy. Maybe even beg for it. And just where are we supposed to put our pride when that happens?

You see, receiving mercy, though wonderful in theory, means not only that we are in trouble but that we must admit it. Modern society has little room for that.

But two men in Jesus' time set a sharp example for us. Driven by faith, they went after what they needed—mercy—pursuing the attention of the One they knew was the ultimate mercy giver. The cried out in loud voices, loud enough to draw the attention of the crowd, which countered by trying to shush them.

"But they shouted all the louder."

How badly do we want God—His mercy? His forgiveness? His peace? His love?

Do we want what He has to give us badly enough to shout all the louder?

In God's kingdom there are traits that trump dignity. Both compassion—the giving of mercy—and the passion of a cry to Him for mercy are among these greater traits. Part of our training as His people is to learn to set dignity aside for such aspects of character--the kind of character that attracts and reflects His heart.

--

Jeff Hopper

August 1, 2006

Copyright 2006 Links Players International

The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.