This week's devotions will be from the devotion archives. New devotions will begin again next Monday.
Text: James 2: 8-13
You do well if you really fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." But if you show partiality, you commit sin and are convicted by the law of transgressors. For whoever keeps the whole law but fail in one point has become accountable for all of it. For the one who said, "You shall not commit adultery," also said, "You shall not murder." Now if you do not commit adultery but if you murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. For judgment will be without mercy to anyone who has shown no mercy, mercy triumphs over judgement.
The ending of these verses brought me to a favorite quote I have in the front of my day planner. I don't remember who said it but it goes like this: " If at the Last Judgment the crucified One himself is the judge, the justice that will prevail is her merciful and justifying righteousness and none other." We are called to follow that Lord - merciful and loving all the days of our lives. In many ways, the way we show love to our neighbors will be in the way we are able to show mercy. For anything short of mercy will move us into the games of the law in which there is no escape for we will always be able to find others and ourselves falling short of the fulfillment of the whole law. We count on the grace of God to hold us up each day - it is the least we can extend to others that they may also be held up.
Connection: Try mercy - experience love.
Forgiving Lord of life, we give you thanks that your love for us means that we are mercifully welcome into your presence in all the days of our lives. When we act, remind us of your love so that we may live as sons and daughters of mercy. Amen
Text: James 2: 8-13
You do well if you really fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." But if you show partiality, you commit sin and are convicted by the law of transgressors. For whoever keeps the whole law but fail in one point has become accountable for all of it. For the one who said, "You shall not commit adultery," also said, "You shall not murder." Now if you do not commit adultery but if you murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. For judgment will be without mercy to anyone who has shown no mercy, mercy triumphs over judgement.
The ending of these verses brought me to a favorite quote I have in the front of my day planner. I don't remember who said it but it goes like this: " If at the Last Judgment the crucified One himself is the judge, the justice that will prevail is her merciful and justifying righteousness and none other." We are called to follow that Lord - merciful and loving all the days of our lives. In many ways, the way we show love to our neighbors will be in the way we are able to show mercy. For anything short of mercy will move us into the games of the law in which there is no escape for we will always be able to find others and ourselves falling short of the fulfillment of the whole law. We count on the grace of God to hold us up each day - it is the least we can extend to others that they may also be held up.
Connection: Try mercy - experience love.
Forgiving Lord of life, we give you thanks that your love for us means that we are mercifully welcome into your presence in all the days of our lives. When we act, remind us of your love so that we may live as sons and daughters of mercy. Amen
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