"He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love Mercy and to walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:8

As we continue to delve into God's requirements of us in Micah 6:8, let's look at what it means to Love Mercy.

We are in the hustle and bustle season of Christmas. Stores are becoming more crowded, and the lines are becoming longer. Temperatures are rising, and people's patience is short-lived. So how do you show people kindness in the most stressful, frantic, fast-paced, and anxiety-producing season of the year? In the Bible, a better word for kindness is Mercy. 

WHAT IS MERCY?

Mercy is when you don't get what you deserve. You deserve to be punished, but instead, you receive Mercy. Your sin is forgiven, and you are pardoned because God is merciful. He is a kind, God! 

In Ephesians 2:1-3, Paul shows us how rich and robust God's Mercy is. He reminds us that we were spiritually dead because we did many wrong things that fell short of God's standards. We deserved to be punished for disobeying God and giving an ear to the devil and his ways. When God is angry, He can still love people but also be angry at that which hurts His creation. And that's what Paul is talking about in these verses. God is angry at everything that goes against his holiness, even though He still loves people. 

Let's look at what Paul says in Ephesians 2:4-5, But God is so rich in Mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. 

GOD IS NOT FAIR - BE GRATEFUL! 

Aren't you grateful that God is not fair? Because if God were fair, we would get what our sins deserve! But because God is rich in Mercy, we get what we need, not what we deserve! This is because God lives in a continual, ongoing state of Mercy. It's unending. That means his Mercy will always be there and always has been there. It was there yesterday, it was there today, and it will be there tomorrow. 

So the book of Lamentations 3:22-24 reads, Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion; therefore, I will wait for him."

MAKE ROOM FOR MERCY

While making lists of things to buy and making room under the Christmas tree for gifts. It's time to make room for Mercy! According to Scripture, there's a distinct and direct connection between our relationship with others - how much Mercy and kindness we give them - how much Mercy God gives us! In Matthew 5:7, Jesus says, Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown Mercy. 

We are challenging you to do TWO things this Christmas:

#1) Help anyone hurting around you: God will put someone in your path this week who's hurting and needs help. Get personally involved.

#2) Forgive people when they mess up: Who's hurt you recently that you can bless? You can offer forgiveness and do good to them. 

This Christmas, Love Mercy and Be Kind!

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

For additional related content from Liquid Church, check out the resources below:

• MESSAGE: For the entire message from part 2 of Liquid Church's "All I Want For Christmas" Series, "Love Mercy," Click here. 
• VOLUNTEER: Every year, our church partners with City Relief, which mobilizes thousands of volunteers to compassionately serve those struggling with homelessness by providing hope and resources that lead toward life transformation. To learn more about City Relief, click here.
• CHRISTMAS OFFERING: To learn how you can help us fulfill the Micah 6:8 vision through 4 vital missions in 2023, view our Christmas Offering Brochure by clicking here.