Tag: mercy

God’s People and His Clay

OLD TESTAMENT: Isaiah 63 & 64

POETRY: Psalm 113

NEW TESTAMENT: 1 Peter 2

Isaiah 63:7 (LEB):

“I will make known the loyal love of Yahweh,

the praises of Yahweh,

according to all that Yahweh has done for us,

and the great goodness to the house of Israel

that he has done for them according to his compassion

and according to the abundance of his loyal love.”

Isaiah 64:8-9 (LEB):

“Yet, Yahweh, you are our father;

we are the clay, and you are our potter,

and we all are the work of your hand.

Do not be exceedingly angry, O Yahweh,

and do not remember iniquity forever!

Look! Behold, we all are your people.”

Psalm 113:3 (LEB):

“From the rising of the sun to its setting,

the name of Yahweh is to be praised.”

1 Peter 2:9-10 (LEB):

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his possession,

so that you may proclaim the virtues of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light,

who once were not a people, but now are the people of God,

the ones who were not shown mercy, but now are shown mercy.”

Isaiah 63 begins with a reflection on God’s loyal love and compassion. Despite Israel’s history of rebellion, the prophet praises God for His great goodness and mercy. This loyal love is not based on Israel’s worthiness but on God’s steadfast character. The passage recounts how God delivered His people, bore their suffering, and worked for their redemption throughout history.

However, Isaiah 64 shifts to a cry for mercy and forgiveness. The people of Israel acknowledge their sin and unworthiness, likening themselves to clay in the hands of a divine potter. They plead with God not to remember their iniquity forever and ask for Him to show mercy once again. This chapter reminds us that no matter how broken or far from God we may feel, He remains our loving Father, and we are the work of His hands. He is able to mold us, forgive us, and restore us according to His mercy.

Psalm 113 calls all creation to praise the name of Yahweh from the rising of the sun to its setting. This psalm exalts God’s sovereignty, lifting Him high above all the nations. Yet, despite His greatness, the Lord cares deeply for the lowly. He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from their affliction. God’s majesty and compassion are held together in perfect harmony, and His name is worthy to be praised at all times and in all circumstances.

This psalm challenges us to recognize God’s goodness, even in the midst of difficulty. From the moment the sun rises until it sets, His name deserves our praise. Whether in times of blessing or struggle, God’s compassion remains steadfast, and our response should be one of continuous worship and gratitude.

In 1 Peter 2, we are reminded of the incredible transformation we experience through Jesus Christ. We, who were once in darkness, have been called into God’s marvelous light. Peter describes believers as a “chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His possession.” These titles reflect our new identity in Christ and the purpose for which we were called—to proclaim the virtues of the One who saved us.

Peter contrasts our former state of not being a people with our new reality of being God’s people. Once, we were outside of mercy, but now we have received mercy. This passage is a powerful reminder that our identity is not defined by our past or our failures, but by God’s choosing and grace. As His chosen people, we are called to live in holiness, reflecting His light to the world.

This week, reflect on God’s mercy in Isaiah 63-64 and His greatness in Psalm 113. Let these truths shape your understanding of your identity in Christ, as Peter describes. As God’s chosen people, live in His light, praising His name, and proclaiming His goodness to the world around you.

-Jeff Ransom

Reflection Questions:

How does the imagery of God as a potter and us as clay in Isaiah 64 speak to your relationship with Him? In what areas of your life do you need to submit to His molding?

How can you live out the call to praise God from the rising to the setting of the sun, even when circumstances are difficult?

Reflect on your new identity as described in 1 Peter 2:9-10. How can understanding that you are a chosen and holy person shape the way you live and share your faith with others?

In what ways can you proclaim the virtues of the One who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light in your daily life?

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Righteously Seeking

OLD TESTAMENT: Isaiah 55 & 56

POETRY: Psalm 109

NEW TESTAMENT: James 5:1-6

Isaiah 55:6-7 (LEB):

“Seek Yahweh while he lets himself be found;

call him while he is near.

Let the wicked forsake his way,

and the unrighteous man his thoughts.

Let him return to Yahweh, that he may take pity on him,

and to our God, for he will forgive manifold.”

Psalm 109:26-27 (LEB):

“Help me, O Yahweh my God;

save me according to your loyal love,

that they may know that this is your hand,

that you, O Yahweh, you have done it.”

James 5:1-3 (LEB):

“Come now, you rich people, weep and cry aloud over the miseries that are coming upon you! Your wealth has rotted, and your clothing has become moth-eaten. Your gold and your silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you, and it will consume your flesh like fire. You have stored up treasure in the last days!”

Isaiah 55 invites us to seek the Lord while He is near, to forsake wicked ways and return to God, who is merciful and willing to forgive. God’s invitation is open to all—both Jew and Gentile—as He extends grace and compassion to those who humbly come to Him. Isaiah 56 continues this theme of inclusion, as God promises blessings to all who keep His covenant, including foreigners and those who may have felt excluded from God’s promises.

These chapters reveal God’s heart for justice and righteousness. His call is for people to not only seek Him but also to live according to His ways. This invitation is urgent—God’s mercy is abundant, but it requires repentance and a genuine return to Him.

Psalm 109 is a cry for justice in the midst of betrayal and opposition. The psalmist calls out to God to deliver him from enemies who have falsely accused and wronged him. Though the psalm contains strong language against those who seek his harm, the underlying message is a deep trust in God’s justice.

The psalmist does not take revenge into his own hands but instead pleads for God’s intervention: “Help me, O Yahweh my God; save me according to your loyal love” (Psalm 109:26). This is a reminder for us to trust in God’s righteous judgment, even when we face injustice. God sees the wrongs committed against us, and He is faithful to act on behalf of His people.

James 5 issues a sharp warning to the wealthy who have exploited others and hoarded riches unjustly. The rich are warned that their wealth will decay and testify against them in the final judgment. James condemns the unjust actions of those who have accumulated wealth at the expense of others, particularly the laborers they have oppressed. He highlights the gravity of injustice and the destructive consequences of placing wealth above righteousness.

This passage calls us to examine our own hearts and actions. Are we prioritizing wealth and success over righteousness and justice? Are we treating others with fairness and compassion, or are we focused on accumulating earthly treasures? James’ words remind us that God values justice, and the way we treat others is a reflection of our relationship with Him.

This week, take time to reflect on the call in Isaiah 55-56 to seek the Lord and walk in His ways. Trust in God’s justice as expressed in Psalm 109, and examine your life in light of James 5’s warning against greed and exploitation. Let God’s Word guide you toward righteousness, justice, and mercy as you live out your faith.

-Jeff Ransom

Reflection Questions:

In what areas of your life do you need to seek the Lord and turn away from sinful thoughts or actions?

How can you grow in your trust of God’s justice when you face opposition or injustice from others?

Are there ways in which you might be prioritizing wealth or success over righteousness and justice? How can you refocus your heart and actions toward God’s kingdom values?

How can you actively seek justice and fairness in your relationships and community, reflecting God’s concern for the oppressed?

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Making a Way for You

Old Testament: Micah 6

Poetry: Psalm 85

New Testament: Luke 18:15-43

If you’re ever looking for a prayer for any occasion, the book of Psalms is the place to go. In today’s reading, we explore Psalm 85, which features a heartfelt prayer for mercy by one of the sons of Korah. It begins by reminding God of His past mercies when He restored the fortunes of Jacob, and then pleads for His compassion: “Will you be angry with us forever? Will you prolong your anger to all generations?” (Psalm 85:5-6). The Psalmist continues, asking, “Show us your lovingkindness, O Lord, and grant us your salvation” (verse 7).

The writer then reaches a comforting conclusion: “I will hear what God the Lord will say… Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, that glory may dwell in our land… Righteousness will go before Him and will make His footsteps into a way.”

This prayer serves as a perfect guide for times of uncertainty. Think back to the last time you faced a tough situation or crisis, perhaps due to a mistake you deeply regretted. What should be your next step? Prayer, of course. Psalm 85 reminds us that we are at the mercy of God, which is something to rejoice in. God’s righteousness goes before Him, and His footsteps create a path for us to follow. Understanding this is truly beautiful.

In our other reading, Micah 6:8 tells us, “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” Here, we see three essential virtues: justice, mercy, and humility. When faced with tough decisions or the need to recover from mistakes, we know where to turn for guidance. God provides everything we need to know – right in the Bible.

-Samantha Stokes

Reflection questions:

When faced with times of uncertainty, where in the Bible do you turn for answers?

What can you do to ensure you are walking in the path God’s footsteps have made for you?

How can you incorporate the virtues of justice, kindness, and humility into your daily interactions and decisions? 

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A God of Justice

Old Testament: Amos 5 & 6

Poetry: Psalm 73

New Testament: Luke 13:10-35

Justice is a solid theme throughout the book of Amos. Through the prophet Amos, God is pronouncing judgement upon Israel and neighboring nations. He first announces why said nation is being punished, and then warns of the coming consequences. It stood out to me how God cast judgment upon the same nations he would also be defending. For example, in Amos 1:12, the people of Edom are to be punished for crimes committed against Israelites. In 2:1, Moabites are punished for having desecrated the bones of Edom’s king. In later chapters, Israel is being punished for idolatry. God’s justice reigns. 

Whether a group was victimized or guilty, God did not let wrongs go unnoticed. 

God is a God of compassion and mercy, but he is also just. It can be difficult for us to fully comprehend how these attributes coexist, but that is because we are understanding these concepts in mere human terms. To simply put, God has a God brain, and we, with our human brain, will never be able to fully understand how God works through both grace and justice. Fortunately, we don’t need to know the how in order to believe He does. 

Everyone experiences injustice in their lives. Whether large scale injustice like racism or sexism, to smaller personal injustices within relationships and friend groups. No matter the severity, God is aware of them all. It is the smaller injustices I want to address, today. 

When our feelings are hurt, when lies or gossip has been spread about us, when we are betrayed by people we trust, we feel robbed and empty. We want someone to hear our side of the story. If we’re honest with ourselves, we really aren’t looking for God to rain down fire upon the guilty individual(s). Usually, all we really want is an apology. But there are some situations in which we will never get this. This can hurt, so deeply. I know. I’m in a situation like that now. 

If you’re like me, dealing with a relational injustice, you probably aren’t wishing terrible horrible judgment upon said person. You are probably just wanting closure or a chance to be heard. Take comfort in today’s reading. God is a God of justice, one who rights wrongs. While I may never get the respect I deserve, or the chance to rewrite the narrative believed about me, God knows, and God sees. In these cases, punishment need not necessarily occur in order for us to feel justified. The fact the LORD knows and sees can be justice enough.

~ Emilee Ross

(originally posted July 10, 2020 for SeekGrowLove)

Reflection Questions

  1. Amos 6:12 says: “But you have turned justice into poison and the fruit of righteousness into bitterness”. What might this look like?
  2. Justice is important to God. How does He show justice?
  3. How can you work to establish justice?
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Surviving a Deadly Plague of Snakes

Numbers 21:9 NIV for SGL

Old Testament: Numbers 21 & 22

Poetry: Job 17

New Testament: Mark 3

In today’s reading, the Israelites needed a spiritual “blood transfusion.” Their sinful and rebellious attitude had shown itself in impatience, complaints about hardships, ingratitude for manna, and a lack of faith in God’s leader, Moses. This faithlessness resulted in a deadly plague of snakes that were killing the people.

The Israelites repented and asked Moses to intercede for them. God’s response required them to show their repentance by a simple act of faith. Moses made a bronze serpent and lifted it up on a pole. To be healed, people had to look at the serpent. If they didn’t believe God’s words, they wouldn’t look up and would therefore die. Only through faith could they be saved.

Homeopathic medicine is the practice of curing likes with likes. The patient receives diluted doses of substances that, at full strength, cause the same symptoms the patient already has. This type of medicine is used in many parts of the world, though it remains controversial among medical experts. In this instance, God prescribed a similar remedy for Israel, treating snake bites with a replica of a snake. Going a step further, God undid the effects of the plague through an image of the curse itself.

Today’s story begins with the people grumbling … again. It was the same old story: we’re dying, we’re starving, we don’t like the miraculous food, and we’re sorry we ever left Egypt. But this incident is unique; this time, the people repented.

In past events, Moses had asked God for mercy on behalf of the Israelites, but on this occasion, his prayers were prompted by a recognition of their sin that Israel hadn’t shown before. They realized on their own why the snakes were sent, and they confessed their sin. In that way, this was a spiritual breakthrough for Israel!

If God had followed the formula we’ve seen so far, we might expect Him to demand a sacrifice of some kind, like a lamb without defect. But the Lord told Moses to put a bronze snake, a picture of judgment, on a pole for all to see. He directed the people’s eyes, not to an image of purity, but to a symbol of wrath.

For healing to take place, the people had to close the loop of repentance. They sinned, confessed, and asked for mercy. The last step was to accept God’s remedy by faith and follow His instructions.

We often picture Christ as the perfect sacrifice, and that he is. But He also took upon Himself the shame of sin and the full penalty of wrath. In His conversation with Nicodemus, Jesus compared His upcoming crucifixion to the lifting up of the serpent in the desert. Let’s confess our sins, seek His mercy and turn our eyes to him, who not only gave his life but also received our punishment. Thank Him in word and in deed today.

Andy Cisneros

(Originally posted on March 3, 2020 for SeekGrowLove)

Reflection Questions

  1. What have you most recently complained about? Do you often complain? Is there a problem with complaining and grumbling? How do you think others view your complaining? How do you think God views it?
  2. What role does confession and repentance play in your relationship with God and others? How has God shown His mercy to you when you have repented? Is there anything you need to confess and repent of?
  3. After the Israelites confessed and repented what did they have to do next? What does God expect from us after confession and repentance?
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She Falls

Old Testament: Ezekiel 29 & 30

Poetry: Psalm 103

New Testament: Revelation 18

     Revelation 18 pictures the shock of those who supported and gained from the success of Babylon the great, and then see it destroyed. As others have said, true wealth is found only in Christ, so those who tried to gain from corrupting themselves with Babylon did so at the cost of their lives (Matthew 16:26). When the voice from heaven warns to come out of Babylon it isn’t just about leaving before the city falls if you happen to be there, but to avoid contamination with its practices lest we fall as well (compare 2 Corinthians 6:17).

     It is again difficult to decide whether some details in the chapter were meant literally. Does Babylon engage in sorcery, or does that express its evil influence on those caught up with it? Which of the trade goods listed are we to think Babylon truly receives – the list wasn’t going to include modern luxury items, but is it just trying to give the feel of wealth based on first century items? Is it in the slave trade, or does it wreck people’s characters? Some will ask if Babylon is a port city at all, or a system with a global reach. Is Babylon destroyed and burned in a single hour, or does it just suffer a rapid fall? (In Revelation 17:12 we were told that the ten kings shared their power with the Beast for one hour, so we may have a reason to see this time reference as metaphorical. Contrast for example the effort taken in the text to show that three and a half years / 42 months / 1260 days is a precise figure.) That last point would be simple to explain in our modern society, however, as a collapse after a single hour which leaves fire behind could refer to a nuclear attack.

     You might hear part of this chapter and think you were in the Old Testament (for example you could compare Ezekiel 27). There is that feel to it. You could imagine Jonah saying these things about Nineveh. It’s all from the same God. Sometimes God gets to show mercy, but when judgment is called for God does not hold back. In fact, after recounting the despair of the kings and merchants and sailors who sinned with Babylon, the chapter calls on God’s servants to rejoice in what has come about. In Revelation 18:21 a strong angel announces Babylon’s permanent fall and punctuates the point by throwing “a stone like a great millstone” into the sea. Jeremiah never went to Babylon, but he sent a scroll there with Seraiah describing the fate of the city and told him to read it aloud, and then tie a stone to it and throw it into the middle of the Euphrates (Jeremiah 51:63). The judgment of God was being left to sink to the bottom, like the city would sink. As I said, we are reading words in a familiar style.

     I’ve long been struck by cases where God set up instructions that don’t seem to have end conditions. How long was the Garden of Eden guarded by an angel with a flaming sword (Genesis 3:24)? Perhaps it was until the flood of Noah’s day destroyed it, or it could have all withered away first. And while the millennium brings grace across the world, will the former site of Babylon the great sit as a blighted patch reminding people of old evils? That may be its fate. As the angel said, no more will the sounds of music, work or happiness be found in her. But then “in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints and of all who have been slain on the earth.” It seems like Babylon the great is worthy of the treatment it receives. We would do well to learn its lesson in advance and turn our backs on all its ways and put our hearts fully toward that other city (the one with foundations; Hebrews 11:10).

     Lord, thank you for sanctifying us by the Spirit and faith in the truth. Thank you for teaching us to take pleasure in righteousness. Thank you for disciplining us for our good, so that we may share in your holiness. Thank you for giving us sound words through your servants. Please help us to listen, and to reflect on what you have said. Help us to grow in your will. And in everything we do, in word or deed, may we do all in the name of the Lord Jesus. Through him we give thanks to you, dear God. Amen.

-Daniel Smead

Reflection Questions

1.  When you envision God, do you see God as preferring to show mercy or to give judgment?

2.  What do you find yourself most valuing about your life as a Christian?

3.  What do you most look forward to in your future as a Christian?

4.  What do you most appreciate being able to share with others as a Christian?

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A Carrot and A Stick – REPENT!

Old Testament: Ezekiel 13 & 14

Poetry: Psalm 95

New Testament: Revelation 10

In Ezekiel 14, we’re told that some of the elders of Israel came to Ezekiel.  God told Ezekiel in 14:3-6, “Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts and put wicked stumbling blocks before their faces. Should I let them inquire of me at all?  Therefore speak to them and tell them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: When any of the Israelites set up idols in their hearts and put a wicked stumbling block before their faces and then go to a prophet, I the Lord will answer them myself in keeping with their great idolatry.  I will do this to recapture the hearts of the people of Israel, who have all deserted me for their idols.’

“Therefore say to the people of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Repent! Turn from your idols and renounce all your detestable practices!’”

I see two attributes of God at work here:  justice and mercy.  For those claiming to follow God, but not really following Him, there will be justice (i.e. punishment).  They will be made an example so others will see and turn to God.  This is a scary concept, and should cause us to repent and turn completely back to God so this doesn’t happen to us.

We see God’s mercy as he says to those not following him, “Repent!” and “Renounce all your detestable practices!”.  This too should cause us to repent and turn completely to God.

It doesn’t matter whether we respond better to a carrot or to a stick, since we’re given both.  The simple fact remains that we need to repent, renounce all our detestable practices, and turn completely to God.

And once that happens, we’re told in 14:11, “Then the people of Israel will no longer stray from me, nor will they defile themselves anymore with all their sins.  They will be my people, and I will be their God, declares the Sovereign Lord.”

May this be said of us too.  But it is conditional upon repenting and turning completely to God.  The choice is yours.

Steve Mattison

Reflection Questions

  1. What idols and abominations (many of which the world says are okay – or even championed) are in front of you? What will it look like to turn away from them and turn completely to God?
  2. What is God waiting for you to repent of? How long do you think He will wait? What is dangerous about waiting to repent?
  3. What do we learn about God in the Bible passages today? What do you think of his justice and mercy?
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Broken Pottery

*Old Testament: Job 1 & 2

*Poetry: Psalm 31

New Testament: John 11

Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and body with grief. My life is consumed by anguish and my years by groaning; my strength fails because of my affliction, and my bones grow weak.

Among all my enemies I am a disgrace, and among my neighbors even more. I am dreaded by my friends—they flee when they see me on the street. 

I am forgotten as though I were dead; I have become like broken pottery. 

If I told you that the above passage was from the book of Job, you’d probably believe me. But King David wrote those words in Psalm 31. He is in distress, weak with sorrow and grief, groaning and weak in his affliction. He is shamed and disgraced by those around him, broken. The description of his anguish is amazingly similar to Job’s experience.

Interestingly, while David describes himself as ‘broken pottery,’ Job uses broken pottery to scrape his oozing boils.

loathsome sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. And he took a piece of broken pottery with which to scrape himself while he sat in the ashes.   Job 2:7-8

I say…Ew. But Job said,

Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD.  Job 1:21

Would you be surprised to see that David echoes the wisdom of Job?

Blessed be the LORD, for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me when I was in a besieged city. I had said in my alarm, “I am cut off from your sight.” But you heard the voice of my pleas for mercy when I cried to you for help.    Psalm 31:21-22

Blessed be the name of the LORD.

I think that praise from the depths is maybe the most beautiful praise. It is certainly the most trusting. David, in his Psalm, invites us to join him in his trust, and I invite you to carry these words with you today:

Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the LORD!   Psalm 31:24

-Susan Landry

Reflection Questions

  1. What does it look like to wait for/on the Lord?
  2. What steps can we take to help our heart take courage when we are in the depths?
  3. What can we learn from the examples of David and Job?
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NO Pit TOO Deep

Look UP!

Psalm 130

Friday, July 15, 2022 

                The comedic author Erma Bombeck once wrote a book entitled: “If life is a bowl of cherries, what am I doing in the pits.”  It’s a funny play on words using “the pits” as the antithesis of the good life.  The “pits” she’s talking about are not really cherry pits, those things you spit out after you have eaten the deliciously sweet cherry, but the pits of despair.  Webster’s Dictionary defines  “the pits”: “something that is very bad or unpleasant. You caught the flu on your birthday? That’s the pits! This rainy weather is the absolute pits.”

                You’re in the pits when things are going horribly wrong, or when you are feeling low.  You feel low when you are depressed, like there is something heavy weighing down on you.

                Psalm 130 is known as a penitential psalm (Psalm 6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, 143).  It starts out very low, “Out of the depths I cry to you, LORD”.  This person is in deep despair because they are weighed down by feelings of guilt.  They have done something terribly wrong and they are weighed down with the heaviness of regret.

                In the Bible there are stories of people who are down in the pits of despair who cry out to God.  When Joseph was taken by his brothers and thrown into a dry cistern down in the earth, he was in the pit.  When Jonah was swallowed by the whale (or great fish), he was in the pit.  When Daniel was thrown into the den of lions he was in the pit.  But each of these people when they were in the pit cried out to God.  And that’s what this Psalm writer does from the depths, they cry to God.  They cry for mercy.

                They acknowledge that it is only by God’s mercy that they are able to get out of that pit.  If God kept a perpetual record of our sins that we had to carry around with us all of our lives none of us could stand under the weight.  Imagine trying to swim holding a 100 lb barbell in your hands… you would sink to the bottom in an instant. 

                Psalm 130 is also one of the songs of ascents.  This selection of Psalm from Psalm 120-134 were sung by worshippers journeying to the temple in Jerusalem to worship God by offering sacrifices.  They would sing the songs of ascents as they climbed up Mt. Zion.  They would sing them as they walked up the steps to the temple bringing with them their sin offering, their guilt offering and other reminders of their need for God’s mercy and forgiveness.

                Notice as the Psalm begins they are “in the depths crying for mercy” lamenting that no one can stand in God’s presence as long as God remembers their sins.  But feel them rising up as they get closer to the top of the mountain, closer to Jerusalem, closer to the temple, closer to God.  There is the hope of forgiveness.  There is this longing for God, they are waiting with their whole being for God, they are putting their hope in God.  As they look up and draw closer to God they are literally coming up from out of the pits, out of the depths of misery and despair into God’s mercy and forgiveness into the arms of God’s unfailing love and full redemption.  They are being bought from slavery to sin and given freedom in God.

                So many people today, like this Psalmist, are in the pits.  The rates of depression are incredibly high.  A study in 2020 showed that 37 million Americans take anti-depressant medication (the numbers undoubtedly have gone up in the 2 years since then due to Covid lockdowns).  Over 100,000 people died in 2021 from opioid/fentanyl overdoses.  People take these pain killers not for physical pain but to try to relieve existential pain and despair.  Suicide rates are rising because people find themselves in the pits and can’t find a way out. 

                Psalm 130 says to them and to us…. Look up, there is a way out.  God is the way out of that pit of despair.  God rescued Joseph from the pit and  he became the most powerful man in all of Egypt and saved his whole family from starvation.  God rescued Jonah from the pit of the whale and Jonah preached salvation to the entire city of Nineveh and they were restored to God.  God closed the mouths of the lions and Daniel was rescued by God from the pit of lions.  Even Jesus was in the pit of despair on the cross from which he cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” as he took the total weight of the sin of the world on his shoulders.  God rolled back the stone and rescued Jesus from the pit of the tomb and brought him out to everlasting life.

                There is no pit too deep for God to bring you out of if you will cry out to him, look up and move toward him.  Ascend from the depths of despair to God’s mercy and forgiveness and true life through faith in Jesus Christ.

-Jeff Fletcher

Reflection Questions:

1.        When was a time that you were in the pits?  How did God help you out of that pit?

2.       If you’ve experienced God’s saving hand in the pit, who can you share that hope with to help them out of the pit?

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Forgiven Much, Loves Much

John 9

April 6

Jesus heals a man born blind with a spit-filled mudpie. Creative. Unexpected. A tiny bit gross.

Totally worth it though, I imagine, to the man who can now see.

What we’re going to focus on, however, is the reaction to this healing by the elite, the ultra-religious, the Pharisees. Because this man’s miraculous healing happened on the Sabbath, they’re a little put out. A lot, actually.

As they drill him for information about the person who healed him, he does pretty good holding his own:

“Here is an astonishing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes.We know that God does not listen to sinners, but he does listen to one who worships him and obeys his will.Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind.If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”

They answered him, “You were born entirely in sins, and are you trying to teach us?” And they drove him out.

What they’re really saying is, “Who do you think you are?”

Matthew Poole’s commentary captures the attitude of their statement in this interpretation of their words:

Thou that art such a marked villain from thy mother’s womb, or that art such an ignorant idiot, dost thou think thyself fit to instruct us about true and false prophets, who are of God, and who are not? Surely we are to be thy teachers, and not thou ours.

It’s an indignant attitude, definitely an attitude of pride, wouldn’t you say? But we’ve all been there. We refuse the information because we don’t like the source. Maybe it’s because we feel superior (like the Pharisees). Or perhaps we simply don’t like them.

This passage reminds me of another time we can see the Pharisees’ pride shine a spotlight on their shame.

Luke describes a time that Jesus was dining at a Pharisee’s home and a sinful woman anointed him. In chapter 7 it says that she was “at his feet, weeping, and began to bathe his feet with her tears and to dry them with her hair. Then she continued kissing his feet and anointing them with the ointment.”

The passage goes on to describe how Jesus puts the shocked and indignant religious crowd in their place. He tells them that “her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.””

In both of these cases, we see beautiful examples of how Christ’s mercies are most valued by those who have felt the want of them. (Matthew Henry’s commentary on John 9:34)

There’s a song by Ten Shekel Shirt that captures this, I think. And it’s a good place to pause and reflect after this chapter.

I come to Your feet and weep
Remembering how You changed me
I kneel at Your feet humbly
I pour out my love and my thanks

I am the one who’s been forgiven much
I am the one who loves much

I sit at Your feet in peace
Sensing a smile over me
I’m here at Your feet gladly
Giving my love and my thanks

Listen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VrfvALiE8s

-Susan Landry

Questions for Reflection and Discussion:

  1. Have you ever struggled to accept something as truth just because of the source? Why do you think that is? How can we be better at preventing this attitude?
  2. Do you feel like you are someone who ‘loves much’ or ‘loves little’? If you’re unsure, pay attention to your actions, thoughts, and words for the next week and ask God to show you.
  3. Re-read John 9:40-41. Restate Jesus’ words in a different way. What is he saying? What can we learn from his statement?
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