Uncategorized

Lord have mercy

No one can stand clean before God. That is an absolute truth. Yes, someone may be better than others in some areas, but he/she will surely be weaker in other areas.

 

No one can stand clean before God. That is an absolute truth. Yes, someone may be better than others in some areas, but he/she will surely be weaker in other areas.

 

I can preach, sing and write music, but I cannot fix a car or know a lot about mechanical stuff. I am good in going to church and keep the church’s law, but I am not humble and charitable as some is. Even if I am really good right now, it doesn’t mean I will be good tomorrow. Therefore, the surest way to face myself before God is "I am a sinner." The book of Proverbs 24, 16 says that the just man falling seven times could still rise up. The story of Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel described the sinful situation of humanity. The story of Jacob and Isaac fighting in their mother’s womb was another proof of human sinfulness even before birth.

 

The gospel of Luke 18, 9-14 tells us about two men going to the temple to pray. The first one was the Pharisee who considered himself righteous. All he did in his prayer was standing high at the center of the temple, tried to show off his record of keeping the law of Moses, and pointed fingers to the sinner at the end of the temple. The sinner, however, chose to stay at the end, bowed his head down, beat his chest and said, “Lord have mercy on me a sinner.” He left the temple being forgiven because he was sorry and looked up for God’s mercy. The Pharisee left the temple unchanged while the sinner left with God’s grace.

In another story from John 8, 1-11, the Pharisee had no heart and no mercy. They strictly followed the rule and the law to make them feel good. They were trying to stone a woman to death whom they knew nothing or very little about. The truth is only God knew her heart, her situation and her real sins. Of course, she committed sins and she needed to do something about her sins. These men went after her, pointed fingers at her, and wanted to destroy her. They forgot that when one finger was pointed toward the other, the other three fingers pointed directly at themselves. If not careful, the mother finger might be pointed to the heaven. We must be very careful when pointing fingers at others. “Don’t judge so that you may not be judged” (Mt 7, 1). Don’t kill because it is against the Fifth Commandment.

Jesus drew something on the sand and nobody knew what he drew. The only thing we know is through the drawing, he reminded them about their sins. He forced them, the good and the bad, the rich and the poor, the young and the old to look at themselves first. He pushed them to think about themselves, "How about me?" “Am I free from sin?” "Am I clean too?" “Am I sure that I never committed adultery in my mind?”

 

In marriage life, love is the most important thing for a happy family. In the depth of that love is mercy. God always loves us and has mercy on us. That is why we are forgiven again and again when we repent. Jesus, the Groom of the Church His Bride, accepted even death to reconcile us with God. Let us pray that all couples have the love and mercy in their hearts.
 

Views: 0

Người đăng bài viết

Joe M.D.