mercy

Mercy for the Underdog (Prayer Devotional for the week of February 2, 2014)

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I’m not normally a fan of violence, but there’s something about rooting for the underdog. Remember the final scene in the original 1984 version of The Karate Kid, when Daniel crane-kicks his opponent upside the head? Throughout the movie, didn’t you want to see those Cobra Kai punks get what they deserved? Poor Daniel was bullied and beaten up repeatedly, and all Mr. Miyagi seemed to care about was getting his house painted and car washed.

We’ve been talking about the beatitudes from Matthew 5 for the past few weeks, and one part that has often stumped me is verse 7 (NIV): “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” Our hero Daniel certainly wasn’t shown any mercy by the Cobra Kai. On the contrary, their sensei (leader) announced to one class: “We do not train to be merciful here. Mercy is for the weak. Here, in the streets, in competition: A man confronts you, he is the enemy. An enemy deserves no mercy.”

If we interpret Matthew 5:7 to mean that we’ll be shown mercy by those to whom we are merciful, then I’m afraid we might be in for a rude awakening. Sure, people can turn their lives around and make amends, but I don’t think that’s what the verse is referring to. Think about the Daniel story. He was shown mercy, but it came in the form of Mr. Miyagi’s loving-kindness to him. He replaced Daniel’s busted-up bicycle, taught him life lessons alongside martial arts, and served as a sort of father figure. He didn’t shower Daniel with presents to spoil him, but he gave him the types of things that he needed, when and how he needed to receive them.

In spiritual terms, I have often heard mercy and grace explained as: mercy means not getting what you do deserve, and grace is getting what you don’t deserve. I think the two work hand-in-hand, as Mr. Miyagi showed to Daniel. The problem is, like Daniel, oftentimes we don’t understand why God allows things to fall into place the way he does, so we throw up our hands and blame him. We get angry at him for making us “wax on, wax off” the car, when what he’s really trying to teach us is a much more valuable life lesson. He does show us mercy every day, if only we’ll be alert to it.

Miracle Mercy (Prayer Devotional for the week of December 1, 2013)

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It’s no wonder why the holiday season is such a difficult time for those who grieve. Part of it probably relates to the weather: it’s often dreary, cold and dark, and seasonal affective disorder is a real thing. Perhaps a bigger issue, though, is that we’re “supposed” to spend time with loved ones around the holidays, so when they aren’t there, the loss is palpable.

I don’t need a TARDIS or DeLorean to transport me back to that night of racing down the highway nearly five years ago, trying to get to the hospital. The too-familiar fear and restlessness are just under the surface, and when the memories hit me unexpectedly, I catch myself at times staring at nothing, while scenes from that night flash through my mind’s eye like a horror movie that won’t end. He’s supposed to be here, sneaking bites of cornbread dressing before our big family dinner and then arm-wrestling me for the last slice of coconut meringue pie.

But he isn’t. And life goes on. It’s times like this when giving thanks is a deliberate choice, because wallowing in self-pity is a pointless endeavor. When you don’t particularly feel grateful for your lot in life, you have to take initiative to find things for which to be thankful. It’s easy to get bogged down in how we feel and forget that God is still on his throne; he’s still the Lord of the universe. And he still cares for you and me more than we can ever comprehend.

In Psalm 107:2a, the author says to “let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story” (NIV). The poem goes on to describe many of the ways that God intervened in the lives of his people, rescuing and providing for them, even when they rebelled against him. Four different times, the poem says, “Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind” (NIV). In another translation, that same passage reads: “So thank God for his marvelous love, for his miracle mercy to the children he loves” (MSG).

Miracle mercy, indeed! Friends, I don’t know what you are going through this holiday season. I hope that you are bubbling over with joy, but in case you are struggling (like I sometimes do), I urge you to make a purposeful effort to thank God for his miracle mercy in your life. Don’t focus only on the hard times; turn your attention to God’s goodness and let his peace soothe your heart.