Daily Devotion for Lent 2024, Day 5

“Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy."

                                     Matthew 5:7 (NRSVue)

 

The 23rd psalm is well known among the devout and is utilized at many funerals.  The psalm puts our trust in God and gives us assurance of God's preceding grace pursuing us throughout our lives.

The final verse begins, "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life..."

This is a statement of faith and something hoped for - an outcome that would be favorable to us.

It's easier to forgive when someone shows remorse.

But today's beatitude sees mercy as a consequence of our own actions.  It feels a bit like karma and is similar to what I lifted up recently in the Lord's Prayer about "forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us."

A similar but negative thought from Job 4:8 has Eliphaz declaring, "As I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same."

Paul later echoes this (after the Sermon on the Mount) in Galatians 6:7, "...you reap whatever you sow."  Paul goes on to a more positive take, bidding us not to grow weary of doing what is right.

What does it mean to cultivate a life of mercy?

How do we shape our own spirits when we seek to forgive? 

I've seen those who are more judgmental of others taking a harder fall when they eventually slip up (or their own failings become known).  Those who are more forgiving are judged with more tolerance.

This characteristic can become a discipline - the more we show mercy, the easier it becomes.  The reversal may also be true.

I'm reminded of the fable of the man visited by God and told that he would receive anything he asked for.  The only caveat would be that his neighbor, whom he despised, would receive a double portion of the request.  The man then told God, "Make me blind in one eye."

Bitterness does not sow life.  

As we move through Lent, is there anyone you can think of where you could see yourself having the same response as the man from the fable - even for a second?  In this moment, what would it look like to make an attempt in your heart at mercy?

Prayer for the day: Merciful God, I must confess that I often seek forgiveness for myself but do not always grant my neighbor the same regard.  I'm more satisfied with justice where they are concerned.  Give me eyes to see how they see and then grant me eyes to see how you see.  And only then, bring me back to my seat of judgment.  I pray these things in the name of Jesus who uttered from the cross, "Father, forgive them for they don't know what they are doing."  Amen.

 

Photo by Alex Beattie via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.

New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.