SCRIPTURE: Psalm 116:1 (TM) – larger reading Psalm 116
I love God because he
listened to me, listened as I begged for mercy.
STORY:
Years
after the death of President Calvin Coolidge, this story came to light. In the
early days of his presidency, Coolidge awoke one morning in his hotel room to
find a cat burglar going through his pockets. Coolidge spoke up, asking the
burglar not to take his watch chain because it contained an engraved charm he
wanted to keep. Coolidge then engaged the thief in quiet conversation and
discovered he was a college student who had no money to pay his hotel bill or
buy a ticket back to campus. Coolidge counted $32 out of his wallet -- which he
had also persuaded the dazed young man to give back! -- declared it to be a
loan, and advised the young man to leave the way he had come so as to avoid the
Secret Service! (Yes, the loan was paid back.)
OBSERVATION:
We are quicker to plead for
mercy than to offer it or at least that has been my observation. God’s mercy is
unbelievable compassion offered at an extremely difficult time to undeserving
individuals.
God understands the
circumstances of our lives and acts accordingly. Coolidge sought understand and
acted with mercy. A little knowledge goes a long way to place salve on the wounds
of the soul.
Today we will meet people are
hurting beyond anything that we can imagine. Would their life be better, just a
little, if they would receive mercy from just one individual that they meet on
the road of life? Could God be placing us on their path so that he can show
mercy through us?
One of my mentors, Wallace
Chappell, told me once: “It takes as much grace to receive a gift than it does
to give a gift.” Mercy is similar. Mercy requested should also be mercy given…
at least that is a worthy goal to work towards.
PRAYER:
Show your mercy to us freeing
us to show mercy to others.
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