January 29-February 4, 2017
The Word for this week is: Merciful
The Thought for this week is: God is merciful.
When God describes His attributes to Moses, the first quality He mentions about Himself is that He is “merciful”. (Exodus 34: 6.) The Hebrew root word translated mercy means “womb”. This word depicts the compassion a mother has for the child she is carrying in her womb. To a greater extent, God has this feeling of compassion for His human children.
God, as a heavenly Father, shows His tender mercy many times to the children of Israel. (Hosea 11:1-4.) Later, God demonstrates His abundant mercy and compassion when He gives to mankind His most precious gift, His only Son. (Titus 3: 4-7; Eph. 2: 4–7)
Jesus, God’s Son, while on earth, exhibits this same kind of mercy and compassion as He interacts with others. (Mark 6:34.) His highest form of compassion was His willingness to suffer excruciating pain, dying on a Roman cross for the sins of the world. (I Tim. 1:15; Heb. 12:2.) The Hebrew writer explains: “Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted. (Heb. 2: 17-18.)
Someone has said: “Only people who have been broken can be of much help to broken people.” All of us are broken “clay pots”, flawed by sin. All of us who become Christians have received abundant mercy as a gift from God’s gracious hand. May we show this same kind of compassion and love this week to those who are lost in sin.
Memorize and pray this Scripture this week: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ. (II Cor. 1: 3-5.)
By Ron Bever