Pastor Bob DuPar
January 17, 2008
Life Journal Entry
Scripture
Genesis 35:1-36:43; Matthew 12:1-21; Psalm 15:1-5; Proverbs 3:21-26.
Observation
Jesus says that He desires mercy not sacrifice in Matthew 12:7. Jesus encounters a man with a shriveled hand in the synagogue. The Pharisees ask, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath? They want to catch Jesus in a legalistic trap. Knowing that the Pharisees don’t care at all about the man, Jesus being the Master Teacher, tries to get them emotionally involved and invested in the man through the questions about if one of their sheep were to fall in a pit. Nothing! The Pharisees obviously care more about following the letter of the law than displaying compassion and mercy to this man! And, after Jesus heals the man they leave determined to kill Him.
Application
May I never lose my heart in the pursuit of righteousness! What is righteousness if it is not the transformation of our heart to God’s heart? Do I treat others with mercy on a regular basis?
Prayer
“God, create in me a new heart. Help me to love people as you love them, to see them as you see them. And, help me to value what you value.”
posted by Bob DuPar @ 9:31 PM
3 Comments
3 Comments:
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With respect to the Entry of 1/17/2008 concerning the place of mercy... Someone said that as human beings we seek not justice, but mercy. I have thought - and, not all would necessarily agree - that in mercy we have deep justice. I think of the passage from I John 3:20: For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. I have interpreted this to mean that God sees us more deeply than our own self-judgement. Comments?
(Revision) With respect to the Entry of 1/17/2008 concerning the place of mercy... Someone said that, as human beings, we seek not justice, but mercy. I have thought - and, not all would necessarily agree with my conclusion - that in mercy we have deep justice. I think of the passage from 1 John 3:20: For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. I have interpreted this to mean that God sees us us more deeply than our own self-judgement. Comments?
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