Justice, Mercy & Faithfulness

Matthew 23:23 “Woe to you, [self-righteous] scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you give a tenth (tithe) of your mint and dill and cumin [focusing on minor matters], and have neglected the weightier [more important moral and spiritual] provisions of the Law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the [primary] things you ought to have done without neglecting the others. 24 You [spiritually] blind guides, who strain out a gnat [consuming yourselves with miniscule matters] and swallow a camel [ignoring and violating God’s precepts]! (AMP)

Read Matthew Chapter 23

God is amazing in how He says so much in just one verse. If you think about the history of God’s people throughout the Old and New Testament, you see great stories of faith and disappointing stories of unbelief and sin. We see how God has been faithful for generations to those who love, obey and serve Him.  We also see how the Lord has been merciful at times, but then has had to judge those who continuously disobeyed and sinned against Him. You would think the Lord would be tired of man by now.  But just as He admonished the Pharisees above to show mercy, in His faithfulness His mercy endures forever toward us!

Jesus’ choice of words in verse 23 put you in the mind of someone who is fed up or disgusted? The Lord is speaking to the Pharisees about their religious behavior and poor choices in failing to totally obey Him in the whole counsel of His Word. He proclaims to them that they have done some of the things that He requires, but have omitted the weightier matters of justice, mercy and faithfulness in His law (v23).  These three are essential to living our life for God in spirit and in truth?  Without faith it is impossible to please God according to Hebrews 11:6. If it has not been for God’s mercy on us, where would we be besides dead bound for hell?  In Matthew 5:7 Jesus teaches that blessed are the merciful, and that they shall obtain mercy. Now justice, which is really lacking these days and seems to be very misunderstood, is necessary if we are to understand our own salvation.  Acts 17:31 tells us that For he has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone who this is by raising him from the dead. God gives us His holy law in order that we might see our sin, and by faith in Jesus know that the Lord God in His Word is the great and only judge, who by His Son Jesus we might obtain mercy unto salvation.  Have you addressed these weightier matters in your life in relationship to the Word of God through Christ?

Alleluia to the Lamb of God who was slain before the foundations of the world.  Jesus you are the great and merciful judge of all things.  We plead mercy from you and pray that we might obtain mercy as we grow in Your Word seeking You in spirit and in truth.  Your testimony is amazing, and by this we have faith so that we might overcome the evil one in Your Name Jesus.  Lord by Your precious Holy Spirit we desire to persevere to the end so that we might receive our crown in Your glorious salvation.  Forgive us, help us and save us in Jesus name we pray, AMEN.  

The Best Laid Plans

1 Thessalonians 5:24 He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.

Sometimes the best laid plans, and the best intentions have no bearing on how things go. In times like these there is an opportunity to stay the course, exercise faith and trust God. Monday I made my plans to drive back to Nashville from Washington DC. I would get up early…4:30 am and be on the road by 5ish to beat any beltway traffic and get out of the city early. I needed to get back to Nashville and make some business calls on appointments I had coming up this week. This would not be an issue for me because I like to get up early and drive with sunlight.

Sooooo……I did not get in bed as early as I wanted. When my phone went off, I started my process. All of a sudden I heard what sounded like thunder! No way….  But of course I had not checked the weather. Did I mention I hate driving in the rain? Needless to say it was not just thundering it was raining, windy and thundering. As I stopped to fill up the gas tank the wind picked up. It did not matter that I was under the covered area, the wind managed to blow just in the right direction to soak me. The gas tank was full and I was on my way to the interstate at 5:30…check. As I get on the beltway I was feeling good until the blinding water started blowing up unto my windshield….I guess my car is too low. So after about an hour and a half, I decide to pull off the interstate because I am sleepy, it was dreary and I was worn out fighting the torrential rain. The good news is that I had made pretty good time in spite of the highway fun. I stop at a Starbucks, parked and slept for about 45 minutes. Then I got my dirty Chai and a breakfast sandwich, and hit the road with a new attitude. I had prayed, napped and was believing God that the rain would let up soon. I even texted some prayer warriors to pray my strength….10 hours is no joke to drive alone. Needless to say about 51/2 hours in, the sun came out and it was a beautiful drive the rest of the way! Where the five hours prior to that pretty miserable, yes, but I made it through.

See sometimes life is just like that. Even though the best plans are made, even though we do everything we can to prepare, and even when we have done nothing wrong.  Even though there are things to do when we get to our destination, the storms of life still come. As I hit the 6^th hour of the drive, the sun came out. The rain stopped and it was smooth sailing the rest of the way. The same is true for life, the day and hour will come when the dark clouds will part, the rain will stop and the Son will shine on your situation. And sometimes just as you planned you will make it to your destination in time to do just what needs to be done….as long as you keep going. See it is by faith that we overcome the storms of this world. God reminded me as I saw the beautiful clouds and felt the sun shine and the wind blow, that He is faithful to get us to our destination if we just press forward trusting Him. I am so thankful not just to have made it back to Nashville, but that I serve a God who promises to ALWAYS bring me through the storms of life to victory through faith in His power! Amen.