Mercy

“Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied” (Jude 2)

God gave us mercy so we could be merciful. He gave us peace so we could be peaceful. God loved us so we could love. And finally, our Lord gifted these things to us so that when we gave of the same, the benefit and effect would increase for us ingratiate these gifts to others.

We struggle to establish our relationship with God. We search our soul, uncover our innermost self and endeavor to comprehend the wisdom and knowledge that is God! We discover how unsearchable his judgments and his ways past finding out!

We glimpse God and in so doing receive His power and grace, love, hope and desires He has in store for us. We love Him because he first loved us. Unfortunately, we as Christians tend to stop here and rest in the light of God, not realizing that when we are illuminated, we, in turn, are to become a light unto someone else’s path. We must shine forth as the light and not think it robbery to have the mind and presence of the Son as it relates to others.

But instead of being a light we become a shadow unto man. Our time and attention are diverted to the gaze upon God and not the love and care of others. We divest our friends, family, and sphere of influence of God for we have only learned half of the great command.

“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment” (Mark 12:30).

God and our self have become one. It is here where we have closed the gate and established a one on one, inner circle relationship. Other people are more of an intrusion than an integral part of the divine dynamic.

“And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:31).

God had mercy on us. Through this mercy came His grace which afforded the peace and love we experience with Him. If we don’t reciprocate with this love, this light, if we don’t emulate Him onto others then this light and love cannot and will not be multiplied. It will grow old and cold and soon the illuminated becomes the ill-begotten.

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the God of love and the Father of lights. If we are not shining His light and projecting His love then we are darkening His path for others.

“Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace” (Luke 1:78-79).

“Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 5: 14-16).

The word of God is the lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. What are we to others? The light, the love that is multiplied? Or are we the long tall shadow of obstruction, extinguishing the fire and flame? If we only love God and not our neighbor then we truly only love our self.

Where does your light shine? Is it only forward as it is received of God? Or is it shone through you to all, multiplied in mercy and grace to the consolation of all mankind? One is selfish, the other is love. Which?

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Bill Hitchcock
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