DAY 52 - LORD HAVE MERCY
MILANNA MARTILLARO, YA CREATIVE & PRODUCTION TEAM LEAD
“Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.” Luke 6:36
Did you know that having mercy is actually a spiritual gift? In Romans 12, there is a group of spiritual gifts that are called “motivational giftings”. And these gifts are practical in nature and describe the inner motivations of a follower of Christ. And mercy is one of them. Have you ever thought about having mercy as a “gift” from the Holy Spirit? That having mercy on others is actually something that God has gifted us with?
Mercy is often viewed as the HEART of Christ. The gift of mercy helps one sense the emotions and needs of others. It is a gift of empathy. An ability and desire to see people healed of hurts. To have the gift of mercy means you can sense and reflect the spiritual and emotional atmosphere around you. It means you are in tune with the Holy Spirit at work within other people, not just yourself. Mercy is an overwhelming, empathetic, beautiful gift.
And yet, we see in Luke 6 that mercy is not just a gift, but a commandment of Jesus. We are called to be merciful as our Father is merciful. Mercy is a gift AND a command.
So this means that this commandment of mercy isn't something we just reluctantly have to do, but a gift of God that we get to partake in. What an honor that God has gifted us with an opportunity to emulate a characteristic that He himself possesses. What an honor that He grants us with an opportunity to receive a gift that reflects the very heart of Christ.
The Bible tells us that God delights in showing mercy (Micah 7:18). Mercy should be the desire and delight of every single Christ-follower. Especially because we know the weight and importance of our hearts in God’s word (Proverbs 21:2, Proverbs 4:23, Luke 6:45). Having a heart of mercy means having a heart like Christ.
I encourage you today to take time to pray and to ask God to give you the gift of mercy. To ask Him to help you see the emotions and hurts of others. To give you Christ-like compassion for those around you. To stand in the gap to see others healed. Pray for the heart of Christ in your own.
Love you all!