“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful” to you in the Gospel, and each and every morning (Luke 6:36) “Speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty—that is, as those who are under grace and in Christ, and no longer under the law and in doubt about Abba’s love. (James 2:12). “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy”—that is, more of the same mercy they already have been copiously given in Jesus. (Matt.5:7)
Heavenly Father, thank you for being not just any “Dad,” but “the Father of mercies and God of all comfort” (2Cor.1:3)—the God of limitless patience, inexhaustible kindness, and incomparable compassion. Instead of giving us what we deserve, you gave us Jesus—who is our perfect “righteousness, holiness, and redemption” (1Cor.1:30).
As you extend mercy to us on a daily basis, so you call us to show and share that mercy to others each day. Help us. Free us. Forgive us. We own being easily irritated and effortlessly offended. We’re not proud of that, neither will we make excuses. Our memory of how people hurt us is often better than our memory of how lavishly you love us. That’s simply not okay.
You never said loving well is easy, rather it’s the overflow of how you love us in the Gospel. Abba, teach us the difference between having good, healthy boundaries, versus building walls topped with shards of glass and electric barbed-wire. Taking care of ourselves begins (and continues) with blasting our hearts with the Gospel, not demonizing/dodging people we don’t like. Love IS costly, yet you “pick up the tab,” Abba. So Very Amen.