"Football is not a matter of life and death, it is more important than that."

Bill Shankly, Liverpool Football manager

Mercy

As I started to think about a series of emails based on 2 Corinthians 4 and 5 I was stopped in my tracks after 5 words. Paul is writing to the Christians in Corinth that they have a ministry and that they should not lose hope. But the little phase “through God’s mercy” blew me away. Mercy according to definitions is compassion, clemency and forgiveness. The starting point in all our thinking about Christian service is God but Paul would stress, God’s mercy. Some 30 times in the Psalms, the writer asked for God’s mercy or acknowledged having received that mercy.

Paul uses the phrase “God, who is rich in mercy” (Ephesians 2:4) Paul stresses that God’s mercy is the starting point in his plan for our salvation: “he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy”. (Titus 3:5). Peter reinforces the point “In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” 1Peter1:3). Sometimes we cry to God for justice. But if it is a choice between justice and mercy, I will choose mercy!

As we approach our day of training, competition, admin, chores etc take a moment to think about God’s mercy.

This wasn’t what I expected today’s thought to be about but if you get a better understanding of God’s mercy, the digression was worthwhile.

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