Vital signs- Tuesday, January 5th, 2020

Matthew 5:7

Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy

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Mercy is a quality attributed not only to kings but to God Himself. The Greek

Eleos

and Hebrew

Hesed

translates the word simply as love. A love the is steadfast, that keeps a relationship alive forever, no matter what happens.

The English definition invariably refers to physical acts of kindness. For example, treating the poor and miserable with affection and generosity. Mother Teresa is known world over for her acts of kindness and warm embraces to the most unloved. Many, across religions, races and cultures have followed suit.

But there is another dimension to mercy which is the essence of blessedness. That is mercy to the soul. It extends love and warmth to those deprived of a connection to God. It is sensitive to souls that are bleeding and dying and longs to bring the healing that Christ bought on the cross for them through His own blood and death. To souls that are weak and growing, it reaches out to strengthen and equip them through the word of God and prayer. It touches lives via counsel, reproof, prayer, forgiveness, comfort, etc. offering God’s mercy through Christ – free, sovereign, abundant and eternal. This mercy can only come from those lives in whom Christ lives and reigns, those hearts led by the Spirit. Only those who have soul vision that looks beyond the externals are capable of this mercy.

The second part of the statement “for they shall obtain mercy” is a solemn reminder that we are all in need of mercy from God; that we are merely transmitters of God’s mercy and not givers of mercy. The more we transmit, the more we receive for our own soul which is saved, yet still in stark need of mercy to acquire the state of blessedness and limp towards perfection. Mercy is not something we can keep for ourselves it has to be shared and then we can “then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need”. Heb 4:16.

Do we have the deep spiritual perception that can see souls in need? Are we prepared to go the extra mile to reach out and meet these needs? Are we faithful enough to persevere in the honorable role of being agents of mercy on behalf of Christ?