Mercy

From Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice, 1596.

PORTIA: The quality of mercy is not strain'd,

It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest;
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes:
'Tis mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown;
His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;
But mercy is above this sceptred sway;
It is enthroned in the hearts of kings,
It is an attribute to God himself;
And earthly power doth then show likest God's
When mercy seasons justice.

This play written by William Shakespeare is about, in part, a man who owes a debt, and he cannot repay it. He has now been brought before the court. His agreement with the lender had been that if he did not repay the debt, he would give a pound of flesh from his body as a penalty. We get the expression "a pound of flesh" from this drama.

His advocate or attorney before the court, launches into this speech above, asking that mercy be extended to the accused. It is beautifully written and eloquently expresses the power, majesty and divinity of mercy. Shakespeare's character points out:

1.  Mercy cannot be strained- by its very nature, it cannot be overused, it can never run out, or be used up, no matter how many times it is extended. It has an infinite quality built into it.

2.  It is like gentle rain. Gentle rain will soften the hardest ground. Mercy shown will soften the hardest heart.

3.  Its quality is such that it blesses both those who show it to others, and those who receive it. Do you need a blessing? Show mercy.

4.  Mercy is most powerful when the most powerful use it. It is generally the poor and weak who depend upon mercy in life on this earth, so the powerful don't think they have need of it. So when they show mercy, it makes a powerful statement to humanity.

5.  Mercy is even greater than all of the power and authority of kings. Kings sit on thorones to show their power, but mercy sits on a throne within them to show its power.

6. When mercy is shown by earthly powers, that is when those powers most reflect the nature of God, Himself. And when we extend mercy, that is when we are most like our Father.

In scripture, our Father identifies Himself to Moses by His quality of mercy:

"The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands...

Moses made haste and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshipped."

                                                     Exodus 34:6-8

When Moses experiences the LORD's merciful character, it overwhelms him, and he falls to the ground in worship.

The word "mercy" comes from a root meaning "deep love, compassion, pity". The Father's love for man is so great, that He feels deep compassion towards us. Though He is slow to pass judgment against any man, He will do it out of the compassion He feels for those suffering under the oppression of someone who is wicked in heart.

Even as Shakespeare strongly argues on behalf of man extending the mercy quality of God towards other men, the scriptures also teach this:

"Be ye merciful, as your Father also is merciful."

                                         Luke 6:36

And as Shakespeare spoke of the reciprocal blessing of mercy, so do the scriptures:

"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy."

                                        Mat. 5:7

Isn't it interesting to see that Shakespeare recognized and spoke a principle of truth from the Word and Character of God?

How great is the power of mercy in our Father towards us, that when we receive that truth, it makes man fall down in worship, as Moses. 

Appearances

"Appearances are deceiving."
"Don't judge a book by its cover."

We have heard these wise sayings many times, and they are true. But how often we go against that sage advice and judge things and people by their appearance. We prefer to join ourselves to what looks successful. We judge whether something or someone has God's blessing, based upon the circumstances we see with our eyes. But appearances are not the measure of the blessing, anointing, or presence of our Father.

A dream:
I was traveling in the car with my spouse. We were on the main street through a good-sized city. We came to an unusual building. I liked its design very much. It had rounded edges, rather than the standard 90 degree corners. But all of the windows had been broken, by thrown rocks. The building looked dark, empty, deserted.
We turned down a narrow alley that went along the side of the building to the back. When we reached the rear of the building, the alleyway opened up into a court. There were other buildings around this court, as well as the first building we had seen. But I could now see, from the rear area of the first seemingly deserted building that is was a church. The rear of the building was actually the front. There was light in every window on this end of the building. People, and robed clergy came pouring out of this church, as well as the other buildings around this rear court. They were all singing the hymn "Holy, Holy, Holy". It was wonderful to see.
Something that had seemed to be an empty shell from one perspective, had really turned out to be full of life and glory.*

In 1 Samuel 16, the prophet Samuel has been sent by the LORD to anoint a new king over Israel. The LORD sent Samuel to the family of Jesse, in the town of Bethlehem. Samuel looked over Jesse's sons, and saw one in particular whom he assumed must be the one the LORD had chosen, because of his impressive appearance. But this was not the one, nor was it any of the other six sons of Jesse who were present at that time. The chosen king of Israel turned out to be the youngest whom was out watching over the flock, whom no one would have chosen based upon his appearance. The youngest son was David.
The LORD made clear to the prophet in verse 7, how He judges man:
"But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature (referring to the impressive oldest son); because I have refused him:
for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart."

Do not be discouraged if it seems that people have looked upon your outward appearance and misjudged your life. Your Father, your Creator knows the gifts, and purpose He has placed in your life. He sees the integrity and faithfulness of your soul, and He is not swayed by the partialities of men. The LORD looks on the heart.

It it seems that ruin has touched your life, or you feel that you will never recover from a loss, nothing is impossible with your Father, and in Him is life and restoration. Not even death could hold His Son, Jesus, in the grave. There comes a resurrection morning in the Father of Hope and Life.




*special thanks to "F" and "G" for their help with the dream.

Praise

There are many Hebrew words used in the Torah that we translate as "praise".
One, in particular, has the root word "halal. This root means to shine, to flash forth light, brightness of light. One case in which this particular form of "praise" is used is in
2 Chronicles 20:21:

"....he appointed those who should sing to the LORD,
and who should praise the beauty of holiness,
as they went out before the army and were saying:
                    Praise the LORD.
           For His mercy endures forever."

As we praise the LORD, as we sing, say or shout "hallelujah", as we declare our Father's greatness and goodness, a tremendous light show streaks through the heavens. Beams, bursts and rays shine light into the darkness. Jesus said that we were to be light in the world. This is one way that we accomplish that.  All creation knows when our Father is being praised by His children, from the glorious light show that flashes across the skies.
When darkness presses in, praise our Father and watch the darkness flee from the light that emits from our praises. He is the Father of Lights.
The LORD'S first command, and first creation over the chaos that ruled over the earth was "Let there be light". Before the sun was created, light existed by the Father's command.
Then He set the sun, moon and stars to illuminate the night, so darkness can never completely occupy any part of the day.
The scriptures open with the creation of Light, and they close with the description of how the Father is the source of Light in heaven:

"There shall be no night there:
They need no lamp nor light of the sun,
for the LORD God gives them light.
And they shall reign forever and ever."
                                    Rev. 22:5

Jesus walked with His Father and said "I am the light of the world", and commanded us to be as He is. When we praise our Father, the source of all light, we become as He is. We also become sources of light, halal.

 "He Reigns"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKTqwBetI1I

"Oh, Lord, You're Beautiful"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRG5Wj9zrJM&feature=related

Oneness

We were never meant to live apart from our Father. It was never the will of God to be remote or far from us. That separation is something that we humans choose. Many religions, rather than bringing closeness to God, insist on widening the breach between the Father and His children.

"I and (my) Father are one."
                      John 10:30

Immediately after making this pronouncement, the religious crowd sought to stone Jesus. They thought that by making this statement, Jesus was lessening God. But on the contrary, Jesus was affirming the will and purpose of His Father. From the very beginning, the Creator sought fellowship, companionship and love with His creation, man. In the Garden of Eden, God would walk with His beloved Adam, whom He made alive with His own breath.
Our Father gave His most precious gift, in order to repair the breach that came when man loved himself more than he loved God. Jesus revealed this heartfelt desire of His Father:

"that they may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me."

"I in them, and You in Me, that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them, as You have loved me."
                                                              John 17:21, 23

This special relationship that our Father wants with us is to be a benefit not only to us, but to the world, that they may see that the Father loves them.
The word "love" used here in the verse above beautifully expresses the heart of our Father. It means "to approve of, to love dearly, to be well pleased with, to be a companion to, to kiss".
Your Father is pleased with you, and approves of you.
Your Father loves you dearly.
Your Father wishes to be a companion to you.
Your Father kisses you.
Those of us who have gladly received the gift of salvation from the Father through His Son, know the desire the Father has to be reconciled to man, to us. But we need to remind ourselves that we are meant to have a close, loving relationship with our Father.
For those who would like to be close to your Father, He has made the way for you. He sent His Son to destroy the obstacles that have stood between you and your Father. He has made the way to "oneness" with Him. Choose it and walk in it.


"Be Thou My Vision"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Td7PLIG5S0

Hope

The human heart has received from the Father, from our Creator, a great capacity for hope. Even when circumstances would indicate otherwise, the heart still holds out in hope, against all odds, and in spite of the cynical age in which we live.

Proverbs 13:12 says,
"Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
But when the desire comes,
it is a tree of life."

Our souls suffer sickness, if we begin to give up our hope. When we see, finally, the fruit of hope come to pass, it enlivens and refreshens us. It raises us up above the reasonings and limitations of man, into the realm of miracles. And our lives are forever changed.
That quality of hope comes directly from God, our Father. In one version of Jer. 29:11, the LORD says,

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD,
 thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope."

The very thoughts of the Father towards us, are to provide us with hope. His name in Jer. 17, is the LORD, the hope of Israel. Before He created the world, even before He created time, He created the hope of salvation for us, as He tells us in Titus 1:2.
For those who walk as disciples of Jesus, as we develop His character, the ultimate fruit produced is "hope", according to Romans 5:3-5. And we are guaranteed that this hope will never disappoint, because God has poured out His love for us into our hearts, to assure us that we will ever live in and through HOPE.
The love of our Father for us has done this.

"My Hope is in You"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RRZgr7wNDs

Revelation

To whom does our Father choose to reveal Himself? The answer may (or may not!) surprise you.

"God is Spirit"
"...true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth;
for the Father is seeking such to worship Him."
                                                 John 4:23-24

Jesus made these amazing revelations about the Father, as well as revelations about Himself, in a very unusual place, and to a very unusual person in John chapter 4. With these revelations, He broke through traditions and racism that had separated people in the worship of God for centuries.
The unusual place of revelation was Samaria, in Israel. The people of Samaria were not accepted by the Jewish people, and vice-versa. But scripture says that Jesus needed to go through Samaria. The word "needed" implies a necessary action compelled by God to establish His purpose. It almost implies, by its root meaning, being physically bound into something. So His Father was decreeing strongly that Jesus must go to a city in Samaria."Samaria" comes from a word that means to keep guard, or guardianship, to keep watch, to protect in order to save life, to keep in memory, to preserve as loving-kindness, as a shepherd. So Samaria, by its very name, held a special destiny in the Father's purpose.
To the religious people of the time, this would come as a great surprise, seeing as how they held Samaria and its people in such contempt.
They would be even more surprised if they knew the specific person whom Jesus had come to meet.
After a long travel, Jesus sat down at a well. He had sent His disciples away on an errand. It was unusual that Jesus would sit alone in a town. But He was waiting for someone. At last He saw her coming. This was the person He must speak with. She was a Samaritan woman that He had never met before this. She was a woman, it is eventually revealed, who has had many men in her life, husbands, and some who were not husbands. But Jesus has been waiting for her.
He opens a conversation by asking her for a drink of water from the well. He goes on to teach her some of the deepest revelations of Who He is, and what God's purpose is. Things that He has never revealed publicly about Himself, He reveals to her. This woman, without a name in scripture, is given one of the greatest spiritual teachings by the master teacher, Himself. 
By this amazing encounter, the whole town hears of this special teacher, and comes to hear His words. They receive Him and they receive the truth of His words.
The Father had a special purpose to accomplish that day in a place the religious people despised, and with a woman no "repectable" person would be seen with. But the Father revealed Himself and His Son that day in Samaria.
In this chapter in verses 32 and 34, Jesus refers to the giving and receiving of these revelations "food". Revelation is not only "food given from our Father for our body, soul, and spirit, but revelation is also "food" for future generations to receive and to grow on.
Revelation from our Father is not restricted by the traditions and prejudices of man. Revelation from our Father is to whomever He chooses, to whomever will stop to listen, to whomever thirsts for Him.

Giving

The Word of God often speaks about giving. Those who attend church or synagogue or mosque, have been taught the importance of giving financially to honor the LORD, and to support the ministry of the house of worship. So the point of this communication is not to speak specifically about tithes, gifts, and offerings in that same way.
The one scripture I wanted to learn more about is in Luke 6:38:
"Give, and it will be given to you;
good measure, pressed down,
shaken together, and running over
will be put into your bosom.
For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you."
Most of us are familiar with this scripture, and in our minds, we apply it to financial giving, to which, it can certainly apply. But if we look back to the scriptures which precede the above, we understand that this scripture is a continuance of the lesson Jesus is teaching. The body of the lesson is about a Godly character. He instructs us to love our enemies, to bless those who curse us, to pray for those who spitefully and with malice use us. If someone robs us, we are to give him additional. If we lend money or property, we should do so without expecting it back. We should forgive and refrain from judging, and the same mercy will be given to us. Then comes the verse which we read above.
Jesus is speaking about giving in all different ways from a God-like character. These verses tell us what the heart of God is to man. He says in v. 35, that to pour out of ourselves in this manner makes us "sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil." Jesus says this is the same character we should have. The financial giving that we do should very naturally flow out of this same character. It is not a separate action, apart from our worship, or our prayer. It stems from the same content of God, Himself, in our spirit, and in our character. We were created in His likeness, and we are to conduct ourselves in the same manner.
The scriptures mention many givers who gave not out of their abundance, but out of the little that they had, but they touched the heart of God. They touched His heart, because they had the same heart as He has.
There is a saying "You can't out-give God". One of the Names of God in scripture is the Hebrew "El", as in El Gibor, Elohim, El Shaddai, Elohe Israel, etc. While the word El is interpreted to mean "God", the root meaning of the word "El" is a ram: as a sacrifice, as the skins that covered the tabernacle, as food.
This beautifully reflects the nature of our Creator, Who, by His holy name, is saying to us,
"If you need food, I AM your food. I will give Myself for you to eat."
You say, "LORD, when were YOU my food?"
He would answer, "I AM the fruit of the Tree of Life. I AM the Passover lamb consumed on the night of freedom. I AM the manna, poured out from heaven upon the ground to feed My people. I AM the shewbread in the Tabernacle that fed My priests. I AM the food carried by the ravens to feed My prophet. I AM the oil that was miraculously poured out to provide for the starving widow and her son. I AM the unleavened bread of the Communion, broken for you, even the body of Christ."
As the ram, the LORD says: "If you need covering, I AM the skins that will cover you."
You say, "Father, when were You my covering?"
Your heavenly Father would answer,"I AM the garment that covered Noah. I AM Joseph's coat of many colors. I AM the mantle that covered Elijah, and fell from heaven upon Elisha. I AM the tunic without seam that they gambled for at the Cross. I AM the pure white linen that covers My priests,  the Redeemed, the Bride. I AM the glory that covers My sons."
As the ram, our Father declares, "If you need a sacrifice to cover with blood the debt of your soul, I AM that sacrifice."
If you ask, "LORD, when did You sacrifice Yourself for me?"
He would answer, "I AM the ram caught in the thicket. I AM the sacrifice of the Passover that delivered you from the death angel. I AM the Savior that sacrificed Himself on the cross."
Our giving, financial, and otherwise, should come from this same mind, heart and strength.