Last Saturday, we continued our journey through the beatitudes, focusing on Matthew 5:7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.” As we receive the generous mercy of Jesus in our lives, we then begin to see his justice unfold as well. Mercy and justice are so interconnected. Without mercy, justice can be harsh, cruel, revenge seeking. There’s no room for redemption. And without justice, mercy can sometimes be forced, done out of guilt or obligation, reduced to just a nice gesture. There’s often no real transformation. Jesus doesn’t just execute justice. He IS justice. He made all things right on the cross. His kingdom justice looks so different than what we could ask or imagine.
In Mark 10, Bartimaeus cries out to Jesus, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” It seemed obvious that Bartimaeus was asking Jesus to heal him of his blindness. But Jesus asks him “what do you want me to do for you?” I believe that Jesus wants us to acknowledge our need and identify what it is we want mercy for. Mercy and justice move together as Bartimaeus went from laying on the side of the road begging to walking on the road with Jesus, completely healed.
“But God is so rich in mercy and he loved us so much that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead.”
Ephesians 2:4-5 (NLT)
“He understands humanity, for as a man, our magnificent King Priest was tempted in every way just as we are and conquered sin. So now we come freely and boldly to where love is enthroned to receive mercy’s kiss and discover the grace we urgently need to strengthen us in our time of weakness.”
Hebrews 4:15 (TPT)
I’ve been thinking about some practical ways that mercy and justice are lived out. Here are a few:
MERCY IN MOTION:
*Choosing forgiveness when it’s difficult.
*Laying down our need to be right for the sake of relationship.
*Gentle correction when someone makes a mistake.
*Believing the best in people who irritate us.
*Serving (giving without expecting anything in return)
JUSTICE:
*A nation at war becomes a nation of peace and safety.
*Your biggest challenge becomes your greatest victory and the area you now have authority in.
*An orphan becomes a son/ daughter
*Your healing becomes the catalyst for others’ healing.
*A broken marriage completely restored.
I pray that Jesus would show you the ways his mercy and justice have been interwoven in your life. And if you’re still waiting to see the fullness of that, I am agreeing with you! He is so faithful.
Love, Karena
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