Tuesday, October 25, 2022

Unexpected Acts of Mercy – The Vault

October 25, 2022/in Bible Study, Week 3

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During his earthly ministry, Jesus performed many acts of mercy. He healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, and helped the lame walk. He also chose to hang out with everyday sinners, tax collectors, and the outcasts of society. He performed the greatest act of mercy in history—he died for us so that we may experience new life forever with him. There is nothing we can do to earn or deserve God’s love and salvation; he gives it to us freely. However, we are called to live in the same way that Christ did—to show others the same mercy and grace that he shows us.

Matthew 25:34-36

34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. 36 I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’”

Last December, a close family member suffered a temporarily debilitating injury. She has a very active job and values independence. Therefore, it was a challenge when she was put on nearly three months of bed rest at home. During that time, she had to rely on our family to help meet her basic needs.

I took time to clean the house, pick up food from the store, take care of the pets, and drive her to her appointments. I did not do anything spectacular that made all of the pain or the sadness go away. There was no big moment where I fixed all of her problems. In fact, most days, we struggled. It did not seem like much at the time, but the little things added up. I made her life a little easier while she went through one of the worst periods of her life.

This was a trying time in my life too, but God opened my eyes and showed me everything I took for granted. I had the ability to walk, to drive, to go to the grocery store … abilities that were temporarily taken away from her. If there was ever a memorable event in my life that showed me the significance of acts of mercy, this was it. I was able to use my abilities to help her do what she couldn’t do for herself, my blessings to help bless her. This experience taught me the importance of gratitude.

Let us never forget to thank God for every blessing. And let us willingly use our abilities and resources to show his grace to those around us who may be struggling.

Questions:

Has there been a time in your life when someone showed you God’s love and mercy in your time of need?

How can you use the blessings that God has given you to help others?

Next Steps:

This week, set a goal to perform one act of mercy. Pray that God will open your eyes to the needs of those around you and guide you to those whom you can use your gifts to help.

Consider donating clothing you no longer wear or extra food in your pantry to a local charity that will give it to those in need.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, thank you for freely giving us your love and mercy. Even though there is nothing we can do to earn it, you freely chose to give up your Son for us so that we can experience eternal life with you. Please help us practice gratitude and to share your love and mercy with others. Help us discern our spiritual gifts and use them to bless those in need. Open our eyes to ways in which we can make a difference in the lives of those around us. In Jesus’ name, amen.