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MEDITATION:

Written by Rick Warren, contemporary pastor, founder of Saddleback Church, author, and speaker.

God wants you to be an agent of mercy in the world. Everyone needs mercy because everyone has messed up. We’ve all hurt other people and made mistakes. We’ve all sinned and we all have hurts, habits, and hang-ups as a result of the mistakes we’ve made. Mercy changes the lives of people who have made mistakes, and we who have received mercy freely can change the world around us by showing mercy to others.

Here are four reasons to keep showing mercy to others. 1) Show mercy to others because God has been merciful to you. The Bible says that God is merciful. It is emphasized all throughout the Bible. There are literally hundreds and hundreds of verses that talk about God’s mercy and his love, his compassion, and his grace…2) Show mercy to others because God commands you. God says if you want a summary of what life’s all about, and if you’re going to be in his family, this is what’s required of you: You need to do what is right with others, to love being merciful to others, and to live humbly in fellowship with God. One-third of God’s requirement for you on this planet is to learn mercy. Why? Because God is merciful. 3) Show mercy because you’re going to need more mercy in the future. You’re not going to be perfect between now and when you get to Heaven. The Bible tells us we cannot receive what we are unwilling to give…It isn’t the people who have kept more rules than anyone else who get to face their eternity with the greatest confidence. It is believers who have shown mercy to other people. 4) Show mercy because it produces happiness. The Bible teaches over and over that the more merciful I am, the happier I’m going to be…Being kind to other people actually blesses you and makes you happier in life. And mercy certainly produces greater joy in those to whom you’ve shown it. Would you rather live in a world that is harsh or a world where the people around you value mercy? You get to help shape a world of mercy around you and allow more people to find freedom from their past when you’re willing to show mercy.

PRAYER:

Written by Cheryce Rampersad, a contemporary Christian author.

Sovereign Savior, I approach your throne of grace and mercy asking that you touch my heart. Lord, grant me a merciful heart. Engulf and fill my heart with the type of mercy you gave, when Jesus died on that cross to save a lowly sinner such as myself.  I do not deserve such a beautiful gift. But yet You gave to me without question. Your love poured out as the precious blood of the Lamb flowed so that we can have that same mercy. Amen.

MUSIC MEDITATION:

O Sacred Head Now Wounded:  Performed by Fernando Ortega.

The words to this classic hymn are based on a poem written by Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153). It was set to music in 1601 by Hans Leo Hassler. his traditional spiritual was arranged for choral performance by Mark Butler in 2005.

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MEDITATION:

Written by Thomas A Kempis (1380-1471), the author of “The Imitation of Christ”, one of the most popular and best-known Christian books on devotion.  This meditation is an excerpt from that book.

Turn your attention upon yourself and beware of judging the deeds of other men, for in judging others a man labors vainly, often makes mistakes, and easily sins; whereas, in judging and taking stock of himself he does something that is always profitable. We frequently judge that things are as we wish them to be, for through personal feeling true perspective is easily lost. If God were the sole object of our desire, we should not be disturbed so easily by opposition to our opinions. But often something lurks within or happens from without to draw us along with it. Many, unawares, seek themselves in the things they do. They seem even to enjoy peace of mind when things happen according to their wish and liking, but if otherwise than they desire, they are soon disturbed and saddened. Differences of feeling and opinion often divide friends and acquaintances, even those who are religious and devout. An old habit is hard to break, and no one is willing to be led farther than he can see. If you rely more upon your intelligence or industry than upon the virtue of submission to Jesus Christ, you will hardly, and in any case slowly, become an enlightened man. God wants us to be completely subject to Him and, through ardent love, to rise above all human wisdom.

PRAYER:

Written by Ephraim the Syrian (AD 305-373), a Syriac Christian deacon and theologian who wrote a variety of hymns, poems and sermons, and other theological documents.

O Lord and Master of my life,

give me not the spirit of laziness,

despair, lust of power, and idle talk.

But give rather the spirit of sobriety,

humility, patience, and love to Thy servant.

Yea, O Lord, and King

grant me to see my own transgressions

and not to judge my brother,

for blessed art Thou unto ages of ages. Amen.

MUSIC MEDITATION:

Signs of the Judgment:  Performed by by the Colorado State University Concert Choir.

This traditional spiritual was arranged for choral performance by Mark Butler in 2005.

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MEDITATION:

Written by Dr. O. S. Hawkins, a contemporary author, retired pastor, and financial manager. This is an excerpt from his work “What Does the Lord Require of You?”

The Lord requires us not only to do justly and to love mercy but also to “walk humbly with your God,” a requirement that clearly addresses our attitude. We are not to allow the perpendicular pronoun to raise its ugly head. Pride, the “Big I,” is one of the greatest hindrances to receiving God’s blessing…The emphasis is on the action we take in response to Micah’s instructions. We are to walk humbly before God and others and walk refers to how you live your life. Enoch “walked with God” (Genesis 5:22), Noah “walked with God” (Genesis 6:9), and so has every man and woman who have known God’s favor.

What is required of us? Justice… you must DO it! Mercy… you must LOVE it! Humility… you must WALK it! And Jesus is our ultimate example. Knowing that divine justice demanded payment for the penalty of mankind’s sin, and even though He Himself never sinned, Jesus went to the Cross to “do justly.” And from the Cross we see how He loved mercy, saying to those who had driven the spikes into His hands, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”

Did He walk humbly? Even on the evening of His betrayal and arrest — the evening of His greatest need — Jesus was on His knees, washing His disciples’ feet. Micah 6:8 is not a suggestion, but a requirement. So keep your hands busy: do justly. Keep your heart broken: love mercy. And keep your head bowed: walk humbly with your God.

PRAYER:

Written by John Newton (1725-1807). An Anglican cleric, captain of slave ships, and later abolitionist. He wrote the hymn “Amazing Grace.”

I want more liberty at a throne of grace, more knowledge of the Scripture, more zeal for God, more love to souls. I want larger measures of humility, thankfulness, spirituality, and faith. I want wisdom, courage, patience, tenderness in my work, and I want to see my poor labors attended with a more abundant and extensive blessing. I want a single eye and a simple heart, to follow, trust and obey the Lord, like a little child.

MUSIC MEDITATION:

Act Justly, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly:  Performed by Pat Barrett.

This song was written by the performer, who is a contemporary worship leader, and was released in February 2021.

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MEDITATION:

Written by Timothy Keller, a contemporary pastor and author. This is an excerpt from his book “Generous Justice.”

Micah 6:8 is a summary of how God wants us to live. To walk humbly with God is to know him intimately and to be attentive to what he desires and loves. And what does that consist of? The text says to “do justice and love mercy,” which seem at first glance to be two different things, but they are not. The term for “mercy” is the Hebrew word “chesedh”, God’s unconditional grace and compassion. The word for “justice” is the Hebrew term “mishpat.” In Micah 6:8, mishpat puts the emphasis on the action, chesdh puts it on the attitude (or motive) behind the action. To walk with God, then, we must do justice, out of merciful love. The word mishpat in its various forms occurs more than 200 times in the Hebrew Old Testament. Its most basic meaning is to treat people equitably. So, Leviticus 24:22 warns Israel to “have the same mishpat (rule of law) for the foreigner as the native. Mispat means acquitting or punishing every person on the merits of the case, regardless of race or social status. Anyone who does the same wrong should be given the same penalty. But mishpat means more than just the punishment of wrongdoing. It also means to give people their rights. Deuteronomy 18 directs that the priests of the tabernacle should be supported by a certain percentage of the people’s income. This support is described as “the priests’ mishpat,” which means their due or their right. So, we read, “defend the rights of the poor and needy” (Proverbs 31:9). Mishpat is giving people what they are due, whether punishment or protection or care.

This is why if you look at every place the word is used in the Old Testament, several classes of persons continually come up. Over and over again, mishpat describes taking up the care and cause of widows, orphans, immigrants, and the poor—those who have been called “the quartet of the vulnerable.” In premodern, agrarian societies, these four groups had no social power. They lived at subsistence level and were only days from starvation if there was any famine, invasion, or even minor social unrest. Today this quartet would be expanded to include the refugee, the migrant worker, the homeless, and many single parents and elderly people. The mishpat, or justness of a society, according to the Bible is evaluated by how it treats these groups. Any neglect shown to the needs of the members of this quartet is not called merely a lack of mercy or charity, but a violation of justice or mishpat. God loves and defends those with the least economic and social power, and so should we. That is what it means to “do justice.”

PRAYER:

Written by John Chrysostom (AD 347-407), the archbishop of Constantinople and an early theologian of the church.

Lord, deprive me not of Your heavenly joys. Lord, deliver me from eternal torments. Lord, if I have sinned in mind or thought, in word or deed, forgive me. Lord, deliver me from all ignorance, forgetfulness, cowardice, and stony insensibility. Lord, deliver me from every temptation. Lord, enlighten my heart which evil desires have darkened. Lord, I being human have sinned, but You being the generous God, have mercy on me, knowing the sickness of my soul. Lord, send Your grace to my help, that I may glorify Your holy Name. Lord Jesus Christ, write me, Your servant in the Book of Life, and grant me a good end. O Lord my God, even though I have done nothing good in Your sight, yet grant me by Your grace to make a good start. Lord, sprinkle into my heart the dew of Your grace. Lord of heaven and earth remember me, Your sinful servant, shameful and unclean, in Your Kingdom. Amen.

MUSIC MEDITATION:

In the Cross of Christ I Glory Performed by Jebi Koilpillai.

This hymn was written by Sir John Bowring (1792-1872). The hymn has been set to a new melody by Jim Spencer.

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MEDITATION:

Written by David Kool and Andrew Ryskamp, contemporary leaders of the “Faithward” mission. This is an excerpt from their article “How to Apply Micah 6:8 to Your Life.”

God desires for us to “love mercy,” or, in some translations, kindness. This is the Hebrew word hesed, which can be used to refer to God’s loving kindness to us. It is interesting to note that God wants us to be drawn to mercy—having compassion for those in need. This is not always easy, as we see so much human need; it is on our street corners and bombards us in the media.  It is easy for our hearts to harden and our minds to judge: “These people are being both foolish and manipulative. They are taking advantage of our care.”  And we need to hear God say once again, “As one of my people, I hope you love mercy—for that is what you have received.”

PRAYER:

Written by Izwe Nkosi, a contemporary South African author, passionate about worship and prayer.

Today I rest in the blessing of poverty of spirit. God, I am small, and You are great. I am weak and You are powerful. I have everything I need in You. I rest knowing that it is Your good pleasure to give me the kingdom.

Today I rest in the blessing of mourning. I rest in the embrace of the Father of Compassion and the God of all comfort. I know that I can “walk all the way into my sadness” and find Your presence there.

Today I rest in the blessing of meekness. I don’t have to fight to make my own way. Shout to make my voice heard. Jesus, You go before me. You prepare a place for me. I rest knowing that the earth is my inheritance.

Today I rest in the blessing of hunger. I join with the groaning of the Holy Spirit and hold my longing for a world where you make all things right and all things new and give voice to my cry.  Come, Lord Jesus. (Revelation 22:20)

Today I rest in the blessing of your mercy. Because of your great love for me, You, who are rich in mercy, made me alive with Christ even when I was dead in transgressions–it is by grace I have been saved. (Ephesians 2:4-5)

Today I rest in the blessing of purity of heart. Jesus, you have my attention. You have my affection. You have my allegiance.

Today I rest in the blessing of peacemaking. Good, good Father, you are gathering us, your children together. Prince of Peace, by Your Spirit you are expanding your rule and reign in and through me. Today I even rest in the blessing of being persecuted because of righteousness. I want to know Christ–yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection of the dead. [Philippians 3:10-11]

MUSIC MEDITATION:

Come Thou Font of Every Blessing Performed by Rosemary Siemens.

British hymn writer and preacher Robert Robinson (1735-1790) wrote this work in 1758. He was a barber’s apprentice who fell under the powerful influence of George Whitefield’s preaching.

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MEDITATION:

Written by Mary Ann Whittier (Johansen)

Recently Pastor Jack reminded us that Jesus personified the prophecy of Micah 6:8. He has showed you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God ?”  I remember Jimmy Carter using this verse at his inauguration as President. Troubled by current culture preaching “racial justice” and “demand justice,”  I decided to look more closely at this scripture. The footnotes in my RSV Harper Study Bible reminded me that this is not God’s only requirement. Some Jews of Micah’s era adopted those principles of a virtuous life, but their faith was empty and hypocritical.

 Looking to the King James translation, as I am not a scholar of Hebrew or Greek, I found Micah urging us to “act justly” or “do justly,” rather than to just “do justice.”  To me, this verb, act, is crucial to personal behavior that Jesus taught us. When justice becomes a political committee, one loses sight of mercy. Mercy is the word translators at the time of King James used instead of Kindness.  Mercy is what God extends to us; it’s nice to be kind but in the reality of injustice, mercy is an excellent antidote.

To walk humbly with thy God or your God shows a sense of a drift in the English language but that King James also replaces man with mortal.  That is an excellent reminder that there is a God and it’s not me or you.  The prophet Micah reminds us that words can be preempted.  Please don’t “do justice” but “act justly.”  

PRAYER:

From the Gregorian Sacramentary, a 10^th century illuminated manuscript ascribed to Gregory 1.

O God, the Protector of all that trust in You, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy, increase and multiply upon us Your mercy; that, You being our Ruler and Guide, we may so pass through things temporal that we finally lose not the things eternal. Grant this, O heavenly Father, for Jesus Christ’s sake our Lord. Amen.

MUSIC MEDITATION:

God of Mercy and Compassion Performed by Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles.  

This Lenten hymn about God’s mercy was written by English Redemptorist priest Edmund Vaughan (1827-1908) and commonly set to the traditional French tune “Au Sang Qu’un Dieu.”

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MEDITATION:

Written by Richard Foster, a contemporary author, and speaker. This is an excerpt from his book “Life With God.”

The quiet power of a life transformed by the grace of God is so explosive that it can redirect the course of human events. Consider the story of John Woolman, a successful tradesman in colonial America who pared down his business in order to live simply and fully in response to the pull of divine Grace upon his life. Raised on a farm in a modest Jersey village, Woolman had an unusually sensitive spirit early in life, keenly attuned to the rhythms of the Divine Spirit. Although he struggled anxiously with the temptations and wantonness of youth, he was constantly aware of “the operations of Divine Love” within his own heart. His spiritual understanding was charged with awareness of God’s tender mercy and love for all living creatures. So perhaps it was no surprise that in his itinerant Quaker ministry, he became a gracious yet tireless and uncompromising advocate for concerns such as the abolition of slavery, just relations with Native Americans, an end to taxation in support of war, and refusal to benefit from consumer goods produced by slave labor and unjust trade practices…It is important to know that Woolman’s convictions about the evils of slavery grew over time, as again and again he was “afflicted in mind” by this debasing treatment of fellow human beings. His Journal indicates that during this time he was spending many hours in prayer and fasting, periods of solitude and silence, meditation upon the Scripture, service, simplicity of lifestyle and speech, worship with others, and outdoor study of God’s tender love for all living creatures. Our story finds John one November evening in 1758, being hosted in the home of Thomas Woodward after preaching powerfully against slavery at a Quaker meeting. Please be aware that at this point Woolman has earned a reputation as a gracious man, not given to sharing his opinions unless he feels divinely compelled to do so. And when he does speak, it is always quietly and respectfully, never confrontationally. Because of his humble and loving manner, he exerts an unusually powerful influence upon others. When John enters the Woodward home, undoubtedly tired and hungry, he notices servants and inquires as to their status. When he learns they are slaves, he says not a word. Later that night, however, he quietly gets out of bed, writes a not to his host explaining why he cannot receive their hospitality, goes to the slaves’ quarters and pays them for the day’s service, and walks out into the night. His silent testimony pierces conventional attitudes and behavior like a carefully aimed arrow of the Spirit. When the household stirs to life the following morning, Thomas Woodward—over his wife’s vehement protests—sets free all his slaves. One more Friend has joined the abolitionist movement. This account gives a glimpse of what can happen when we are faithful to be “doers” of the Word, not just hearers.

PRAYER:

Written by Dimitri of Rostov (1651-1709), a leading opponent of the Caesaropapist reform of the Russian Orthodox church.

Come, my Light, and illumine my darkness.

Come, my Life, and revive me from death.

Come, my Physician, and heal my wounds.

Come, flame of divine love and burn up the thorns of my sins,

kindling my heart with the flame of thy love. Amen.

MUSIC MEDITATION:

Oh the Mercy of God Performed by Geoff Bullock.

The hymn was written in 1747 by Charles Wesley and first published in 1830. It is a love song and story of God’s love and care.

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MEDITATION:

Written by Jon Dyer, a contemporary English missionary and author.ritten by Bill Hoehn.

Mercy is perhaps one of the most defining qualities of God, and without it none of us would be here, never mind able to enter heaven. The Bible is full of phrases such as “to be merciful, ” “to have mercy on, ” or “to show mercy toward.” Mercy is integral to understanding God’s dealings with us. Mercy is defined not only as an act of forgiveness and compassion but as not giving us what we deserve, whereas grace is God giving us something we don’t deserve…Mercy is not merely begrudgingly letting someone off the hook for wronging you. Mercy is a purposeful act of reconciling two parties. Micah 7:18 teaches us concerning the vast mercy of God saying, “Where is another God like you… You will not stay angry with your people forever, because you delight in showing unfailing love.” It actually pleases the Lord to show mercy to people like you and me because he is a God of mercy. Having been shown great mercy, we ought to be more merciful to others. Knowing that God is merciful and has forgiven us our sins, surely, we can forgive those who have sinned against us and show them mercy. Furthermore, God’s mercy for the believer isn’t just a single one-off act. Psalm 23 gives us the assurance that “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of my life.” Whatever situation you’re in today, you can rest in God’s mercy.

PRAYER:

This prayer is from the Mozarabic Rite, a liturgical rite of the Latin church once used generally in what is known now as Spain and Portugal. Developed during Visigoth rule of the Iberian Peninsula in the 500s A.D.

O Christ, Son of God, for our sake you fasted forty days and allowed yourself to be tempted. Protect us so that we may not be led astray by any temptation. Since man does not live by bread alone, nourish our souls with the heavenly food of your Word; through your mercy, O our God, you are blessed and live and govern all things, now and forever. Amen.

MUSIC MEDITATION:

Oh the Mercy of God Performed by Geoff Bullock.

The hymn was written and produced by Geoff Bullock in 1997.

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MEDITATION:

Written by Bill Hoehn.

I am happy to share a person through whom I see God working in the world today– Donnie Dee.  In the 1980s, Donnie played a couple of years as a tight end in the NFL.  He then worked for many years in our area with Fellowship of Christian Athletes, a ministry to coaches and high school students.  That is when I got to know him.  A few years ago, Donnie took a leap of faith and went to work as the leader of the San Diego Rescue Mission.  The Rescue Mission houses and feeds over 300 men, women, and children who are dealing with homelessness, mental illness, substance addiction, and other afflictions which have left them on the fringes of society.  Of course, all of us know that homelessness is the most visible societal problem of our generation.  Since taking over his leadership position, Donnie has made great strides in expanding the Mission’s outreach into North and South Counties, bringing housing, meals, counseling, and even mobile hot showers around the County to people who have no access to regular hygiene.  He truly sets an example of being “boots-on-the-ground” as a soldier for Christ with some of the poorest and most long-suffering people in San Diego.  I give thanks to God for people like Donnie who work tirelessly, patiently, and hopefully in the name of Jesus in very difficult, seemingly intractable situations. Many of you may have met Donnie at our Alternative Christmas Market. 

PRAYER:

Written by Maano Pohamba, a contemporary author.

Oh Lord, give me a mind and a heart like the Father’s heart. Let me be able to know what God thinks and feels towards His people so that I may be able to represent Him correctly. Give me a heart that wants to serve others. Let me be sensitive to the needs of those around me, that I may offer help where I can. Use me for your glory, Lord. Use me to build up your Church. Let the world see You in me, my God. Your word tells me that I am a member of the body of Christ. Amen.

MUSIC MEDITATION:

Here I Am Lord Performed by John Michael Talbot

This hymn was written by Dan Schutte in 1979 and was published in 1981. He wrote the song while studying theology at the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley.

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MEDITATION:

Today’s Meditation is from a Facebook post from The Grouped Churches of St. Colman’s, Kilroot and St. John’s, Ballycarry. The meditation was submitted by Pastor Jan Farley.

“Asked by the BBC to identify the defining moment in his life Desmond Tutu spoke of the day he and his mother were walking down the street. Tutu was nine years old. A tall white man dressed in a black suit came towards them. In the days of apartheid in South Africa, when a black person and a white person met while walking on a footpath, the black person was expected to step into the gutter to allow the white person to pass and nod their head as a gesture of respect. But this day, before a young Tutu and his mother could step off the sidewalk the white man stepped off the sidewalk and, as they passed, he tipped his hat in a gesture of respect to her! The white man was Trevor Huddleston, an Anglican priest who was bitterly opposed to apartheid. It changed Tutu’s life. When his mother told him that Trevor Huddleston had stepped off the sidewalk because he was a “man of God,” Tutu found his calling. “When she told me that he was an Anglican priest I decided there and then that I wanted to be an Anglican priest too. And what is more, I wanted to be a man of God,” said Tutu. Huddleston later became a mentor to Desmond Tutu and his commitment to the equality of all human beings due to their creation in God’s image a key driver in Tutu’s opposition to apartheid.” My prayer today is that we can all strive to be “people of God” who are willing to “step off the sidewalk” and “tip our hat” to our sisters and brothers, particularly those on the margins. May it be so…

PRAYER:

Today’s prayer is from the Book of Worship for the United Church of Christ, a mainline Protestant denomination.

Grant us, Lord God, a vision of your world as your love would have it: a world where the weak are protected, and none go hungry or poor; a world where the riches of creation are shared, and everyone can enjoy them; a world where different races and cultures live in harmony and mutual respect; a world where peace is built with justice, and justice is guided by love. Give us the inspiration and courage to build it, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

MUSIC MEDITATION:

The Power of Your Love Performed by Darlene Zschech and Hillsong Worship.

This was on the first live contemporary worship album released by Hillsong Music in 1992.

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