Lent

“Luke 6:36-38 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.“Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap, for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.

Robert Robinson came to faith in Christ  through George Whitfield’s ministry. Shortly after that, at the age of twenty-three, Robinson wrote the hymn “Come, Thou Fount of every blessing, Streams of mercy, never ceasing.” 

Sadly, Robinson wandered far from those streams and, like the Prodigal Son, journeyed into a life of carnality. One day he was traveling by stagecoach and sitting beside a young woman engrossed in her book. She ran across a verse she thought was beautiful and asked him what he thought of it. “Prone to wander Lord, I feel it Prone to leave the God I love.” 

Bursting into tears, Robinson said, “Madam, I am the poor unhappy man who wrote that hymn many years ago, and I would give a thousand worlds, if I could enjoy the feelings I had then.” Although greatly surprised, she reassured him that the “streams of mercy” mentioned in his song still flowed. 

Robert was deeply touched. Turning his “wandering heart” to the Lord, he was restored to full fellowship. 

Can you remember times when you heard people gossip about you, with no understanding of why you behaved as you did? Can you remember times when you leapt to judge others without knowing the whys and wherefores? Remember the Sioux prayer: “May I never judge another until I have walked in his moccasins”. 

Good newspapers offer us information without judgments. Shoddy papers try to do our thinking for us, leap to take sides, and express their judgments in banner headlines.

We get from life what we put into it. The challenge of Jesus is more – to be merciful is to live in a way that makes the first move towards forgiveness, that is, to be non-judgemental of others and to always want to give. Mercy doesn’t count what it gives nor look for anything in return. Mercy is the heart of God’s love. Allow the word ‘mercy’ enter into your heart at prayer; just repeat it and let it move from lips to heart. As mercy takes hold of you, you will live by it.

Holy Jesus,

You call us into a life that others have told us is easy, but it is not.

You challenge us to forgive, to love our enemies,

to bless those who curse us.

We want the easy way,

but You have given us the hard path.

Grant us the patience and endurance to journey with You,

to allow ourselves at times to stumble,

to live into the hard way

so that we might fully experience

Your love, grace and peace in this world,

by becoming a people full of love and grace

and forgiving others.

In Your name we pray. Amen.